


Baby Makes Three

by LOTSlover



Series: Baby Makes Three Series [1]
Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Pregnancy, Romance, Squee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2014-01-08
Packaged: 2017-12-28 13:26:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 53,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/992510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LOTSlover/pseuds/LOTSlover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Baby Makes Three

Batman sat alone in the dark stillness of the batcave logging in his report from the night’s patrol, his only company the thousands of bats that hung silently from the roof like small black stalactites. While his mind was focused reviewing the night’s numerous activities, one person always managed to linger there in the recesses ready to push its way to the forefront of his thoughts at any given moment.

He had given up long ago trying to suppress her from his thoughts, fighting to keep her from slipping in between the countless things that always raced through his mind at any given moment of his life. 

His mind was a virtual beehive of constant activity – things that needed to done, new and better ways to stop the scum of the earth from taking his city, the dark feelings that always managed to slip like nasty tendrils through his mind threatening to drag him down into that sullen brooding mood he’d become so famous for.

And then there was her. His Princess. His Diana.

She was his brilliant beam of radiance that never ceased to burn like a powerful shaft of sunlight through his darkest gloomiest days that always tried to cling to him despite his best efforts. She was his sparkling diamond in the dark filthy coalmine of his life. 

Without her, he’d still be lost, still stuck in that dimly lit alley where his parents had been killed. Because of her, though, he found he had a life that he wanted to live, a future that he actually looked forward to.

A sudden buzzing on his commlink broke through his reverie. “Batman,” his deep raspy voice said.

There was a long pause causing him to look up from his computer screen, wondering if he had just lost connection. He sat back in his chair, his brow creasing when her beautiful voice suddenly broke through the silence.

“Hi…it’s Diana,” she finally announced.

A smile immediately tugged at the corners of his mouth, the sound of her voice always managing to put it there despite his best efforts to keep his detached façade firmly in place. She was making it more and more difficult to remain intimidating when she always put a smile on his face and a bounce in his step.

“Hi,” he replied, his smile reaching his voice. “What are you doing up? You should be asleep right now.”

Another long pause. Bruce could feel his stomach begin to tighten as an uneasy feeling swiftly washed through him. Something was wrong. He could sense it.

“Diana?”

“I need to talk to you. It…it’s important,” she told him. “Can I come over now?”

Bruce’s heart was suddenly in his throat, making it difficult to breathe. “Yes…of course,” he quickly said, doing his best to keep his worry from reaching his voice. “I’ll be here in the cave waiting for you.”

“Ok,” she softly replied. “I’ll be right there.”

“Diana?”

“Yes?”

“Is everything alright?”

Another agonizingly long pause, the silence deafening and causing his fear to rise like a deadly viper.

“I’ll be there shortly,” she finally said before the commlink abruptly went dead.

Bruce leaned his chair back, releasing a ragged breath, tilting his head to gaze up at the ceiling. His mind was suddenly reeling with the strange conversation he’d just had with Diana. His chest was clenched tightly with worry and dread.

Was something wrong with her? Was she alright?

Diana was an immortal goddess, instilled with incredible gifts from the gods. He was thankful she wasn’t easily injured or fell sick.

His mind raced with what could be going on with her. Was she coming to break off their relationship? 

The thought alone suddenly made his stomach churn painfully; his fears rising like a fierce dark storm cloud in his soul, threatening to overtake him and drag him into that oppressive abyss of depression that he always lingered so very close to the edge to.

But Diana had saved him from all of that. She helped deliver him from the powerful clutches of misery and dark despair, breaking the powerful chains of the past and setting his heart free. 

Bruce swallowed hard, suddenly leaping to his feet. He began to pace as he fought to remain in control of his aching heart. He couldn’t lose her. These six months with her had been everything that he had ever secretly wanted in his life. She had been his fantasy come to life, saving him from the lonely self-destructive path that he had been rapidly hurtling down.

He paced back and forth in his cave, each minute that ticked up like an hour as he waited to hear the words that he feared most. He had always known that Diana was too good for him, deserved so much better than someone like him. Now, his worst fear was about to be realized.

How would he cope? How would he be able to pick up the pieces and go on? He wouldn’t be able to be around her any more, seeing her day in and day out at the Watchtower, going on missions with her, being forced to stand by and watch her give her heart to another man.

He’d never survive it.

He should have known this day would come, his love affair with her coming to an eventual end. Despite how much he wanted it, love wasn’t something that he could truly have. A happily-ever-after just wasn’t something that was meant for someone like him, wasn’t destined for the ascetic Dark Knight.

He quickly ran through the last couple of days he had spent with her, everything that he had said and done. He felt hot arousal flush through his body as he remembered how they had made love over and over again here at the mansion. 

It had been so passionate and heated, so intense and intimate that he felt that he’d never felt closer to her, never felt this close to another person in his whole life. They had talked long into the night about the future as he had held her in his arms, sharing their thoughts and dreams. It wasn’t something that he’d ever done before with anyone, revealing the secret desires of his heart.

And what had amazed him was how congruent their thoughts were, their desires seemingly as in tune as their hearts were. It was as if he’d finally found the other half of his soul, a piece of him that he’d never thought he’d ever find. For the first time in his life, he felt complete and it was all because of her.

Had he somehow scared her away by talking about a future together? Had he made a mistake by finally opening up to her and sharing his heart like that?

Bruce came to an abrupt stop when he heard the sound of shoes clicking against the stone. He felt a sudden flutter in the pit of his stomach as he turned to watch her descend the steps into his private sanctuary, the dark shadows that had always kept him safe.

He suddenly found himself wanting to pull away from her as she slowly came into the light, to withdraw back into the shadows in order to protect his heart from the overwhelming pain that was about to come. 

He swallowed hard, steeling himself as well as his heart for what was about to come. Whatever he’d done wrong, he swore he’d do whatever it took to fix it, go to any lengths that he had to in order to keep her with him. He’d give her anything she wanted. 

He’d die for her.

Diana descended the steps, her heart already hammering as she saw him standing there waiting for her arrival. He looked so incredibly handsome dressed in nothing but his uniform pants and black boots, the form-fitting gray t-shirt that seemed to hug his perfectly chiseled torso. 

Dimly lit shadows cut across his impressive physique as well as his handsome face, creating an even more impressive aura about him if that was even possible.

Hera, what he did to her just by existing. She’d never met a man who could have such a powerful, all-consuming affect on her like he did. She just prayed that she wouldn’t lose him over this.

Coming to a stop right before him, Bruce found it difficult to meet her intense blue-eyed gaze. He feared what she had come here to say, his heart trying to pound its way right out of his chest as apprehension attempted to choke him. 

Staring at her now, he noticed the fatigue that lined her eyes, the way she was nervously biting her bottom lip, how pale her face looked. Whatever was on her mind had her upset as well. It certainly did nothing to allay his own fears any.

“Diana, what is it? What’s wrong?” he finally asked after several long tense moments. “Are you alright?”

Bruce forced himself to keep his feet firmly planted where he was when everything inside of him was aching to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless, to force her to stay with him forever. Even though dressed in a simple dark blue dress that hung to mid-thigh, her long dark hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever known.

“I’m alright,” she nervously replied, doing her best to get the nerve up to tell him what she had come here to say.

“Diana…”

“Bruce…I’m pregnant,” she finally blurted out with a breathless rush.

Bruce stood there staring at her in shock, his mind trying to process what she had just said. Diana fidgeted with the tie of her dress, waiting in fear at his response. Even though they had shared their dreams of the future, neither of them had ever expected something like this to come so soon.

“I…I’m so sorry, Bruce. I don’t know how this happened…well, I mean…I do know how it happened. I mean we’ve been quite intimate countless times over the last six months and I…” she jabbered nervously, stumbling over her words. “I just…I mean…”

Before she could utter another word, Bruce’s mouth was suddenly on hers, his hands slipping up into her hair as his tongue tangled with hers. Taken aback by his reaction, it took her moment to respond to his passionate kiss. Her arms quickly snaked around his neck, drawing him even closer still to her.

Breaking the kiss, Bruce pulled back to stare into her eyes. “Are you sure?” he breathlessly asked, his gaze roaming over her face searching for answers.

“Yes…definitely,” she nodded. “And if I wasn’t positive, the morning sickness would be a dead give-away something was up.”

A large grin broke across the Batman’s face as he stared at her, his lips descending on hers again and stealing the breath from her lungs. He could scarcely believe this was really happening. He was going to be a father…Diana was carrying his child.

No scenario that he had ever concocted in his dreams could ever come close to the exhilarating feeling of this incredible moment, the reality of their love for one another and what they had created together.

Pulling back, he pressed his forehead against hers, fighting to catch his breath. “I can’t believe it,” he softly said. “I have never been so happy in my whole life.”

Diana stared at him in wonder. “Are you sure?” she asked, worry still clouding her blue eyes. “I was so afraid that you’d be upset, that you wouldn’t want this right now.”

“Upset?” he repeated in confusion. “Diana, the woman I love with all my heart is carrying my child. How could I possibly be upset?”

Diana smiled softly with his words, relief drifting through her like a gentle breeze and washing away all her fears. She took his face in her hands as she gazed into his piercing blue eyes, the love reflected there warming her heart.

“I’ve never been this happy either,” she murmured, tears shining in her eyes.

She quickly leaned in, capturing his lips with hers. His hands slid over her body, exploring her delicious curves all over again and causing her to moan deeply. He gripped her thighs, lifting her up and urging her to wrap them around his waist as he backed her up against the wall.

He felt such an overwhelming need to be with her, to fill her so fully with himself and proclaim his love for her all over again. He wanted her to know his love for her, that he would never leave her or their child.

Diana slipped her hands between them, tugging at his uniform pants and pushing them down past his hips. He kissed his way down her throat, nudging her dress aside to kiss the tops of her breasts. He gently raked his teeth over her flesh, eliciting a hiss of pleasure from her sweet lips.

She was so relieved that he was this excited about having a baby with her. She had been so fearful that he would be angry with her, upset with her for getting pregnant now. Even though they had casually talked about their future together, the possibility of having a baby someday, she feared that it was too soon, that he would feel pressured or that she had somehow coerced him into something he wasn’t ready for.

She hadn’t expected this…this happiness, this excitement, this heated passion.

The feel of his large hands sliding up her thighs and pushing her dress higher was setting her entire body aflame. And then he was suddenly filling her, causing her to throw her head back in ecstasy. He placed the palms of his hands on either side of her head as he thrust up into her and forcefully pinned her against the rock wall.

Diana cried out in rapture as he pounded each breath from her lungs, her fingers digging into his shoulders and clutching at his t-shirt. She tightened her thighs around his waist, hanging on for dear life as he made passionate love to her, an intimate celebration of the little life that they had already created together.

Bruce panted heavily, kissing and nipping at her skin as he plunged deeper and deeper into her heat. He never thought it possible, but he swore that his love for her had more than doubled, his heart expanding with the love that he felt for her and now the life that she carried.

“Bruce!” she cried as she came, trembling and panting with the intense release that shook her to her very core.

Bruce came then as well, releasing deep within her core. He pressed himself even further into her, kissing her deeply as he fought to calm the thundering of his heart. They kissed and caressed each other, relishing the sweet intimacy that engulfed them and bound them as one.

“Move in with me,” he breathless said, his nose nuzzling hers.

“What?”

“I want you to move into the mansion with me so I can take care of you,” he told her as he brushed a stray lock of hair from her flushed face.

“Bruce, I’m an Amazon Princess,” she chuckled softly as she caressed his face. “I don’t need to be taken care of.”

“But you’re my Princess,” he replied. “And you’re carrying my child now, the child we made together. I know you can take care of yourself, but please, Diana, let me take care of you.”

Diana gazed into his blue eyes full of such emotion it caused her breath to catch in her throat. It touched her heart to see him so anxious to take care of her, to want to take care of their child. She had always known that he would make a great father someday.

“I’d love to,” she softly smiled, leaning in and kissing him.

Bruce gently eased her legs from around his waist before taking her hand in his. “Come,” he told her. “I’ll take care of having all of your things moved here. You’re not leaving my side ever again.”

Diana squeezed his hand, laying her head on his shoulder. “What are we going to tell the league?” she suddenly asked as they walked towards the steps that led into the mansion.

“That you’re taking an immediate indefinite leave until further notice,” he firmly stated, the tone of his voice leaving no room for argument.

“Bruce…” Diana shook her head as she began to argue.

“I mean it, Princess,” he quickly replied. “I’m not about to allow my future wife or my child to be put in any unnecessary danger.”

Diana swiftly pulled him to an immediate stop, forcing him to turn and look at her. “Wife?” she asked, stunned.

“Yes, wife,” he said, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. “Now that I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted, I’m never going to let you go. Besides, Alfred would have my head if I didn’t do the right thing by marrying you.”

Diana could no longer contain the tears welling up in her throat or the happiness that flooded her heart. Bruce leaned in, gently erasing her tears with his lips as he wrapped his arms securely around her, holding her close.

“Don’t cry, Princess,” he whispered against her cheek, his breath so warm against her skin.

“I love you, Bruce,” she softly said. “I just hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. Amazons aren’t exactly the easiest women to handle.”

Bruce chuckled softly with her words as he tenderly pressed his lips against her forehead. “Well, it’s far too late, Princess,” he replied, amused. “I’m already in far too deep now. You somehow managed to capture my heart. That’s a feat no one before you has ever managed to do.”

“And I’m not about to let you have it back either,” she told him. “You’re all mine now, Bruce Wayne.”

“I wouldn’t want it any other way, Princess,” he murmured, kissing her once more before leading her into her new home.

 

**TO BE CONTINUED (?)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so here’s the continuation of the Baby Makes Three fic. After all the angst that I poured into Mended Hearts, I decided to go a little more light-hearted with this fic so I hope you guys don’t mind me giving Bats and Wondy a break. 
> 
> Also, there’s lots of romantic smut and of course Bruce being his arrogant cocky little self that we all love getting him into some trouble. So hope you enjoy the fun and light-hearted tone of this fic. I promise to continue the drama/angst/romance in the sequel to Mended Hearts which I’ll be starting next after I finish this fic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing but fluff and fun so be prepared!

Chapter 2

“You can’t be serious, Bruce,” she replied in shock, her hands finding her hips in that way that drove him wild, utter defiance flashing in her blue eyes as she glared at him.

“Dead,” he simply stated, turning his chair towards his computer and his back to her, the argument already settled in his mind.

“Bruce,” Diana sternly snapped, her anger rising with his outright stubborn streak that rivaled her own. “How am I supposed to get to the Watchtower if I don’t use the transporter?”

“That’s for you to figure out, Princess,” he coolly stated, his gaze narrowing on his work. “I will not have my unborn child broken down into molecular form only to be reconstructed someplace else. I won’t take any chances with our baby.”

“Your company is the one who created it,” she countered, doing her best to rein in her heated emotions. “Besides, we’ve all used the transporter a million times without any problems.”

“But none of us was pregnant or carrying my child at the time,” he frowned as he continued to type on his computer. “Besides, you don’t need to be going to the Watchtower anyway. I’ve already had you removed from active duty status until further notice. You’ve been grounded, Princess; get used to it.”

“Pregnant does not equal useless,” the infuriated Amazon ground out between clenched teeth. “I’m still capable of doing something useful. I can do monitor duty or help with mission reports and what about weekly League meetings? Or do you plan on just keeping me locked up in my room until the baby is finally born?”

There was a very long tense silence as Bruce considered her question, a small smirk tugging at his lips with the thought. It wasn’t really such a bad idea now that he mulled it over. It would definitely have its perks.

Diana clenched her fists tightly at her sides, knowing he was actually considering it. “Bruce Wayne, don’t you dare…” she threateningly growled at him.

He shrugged a shoulder, not the least bit intimidated by her ire. They’d had far more heated arguments than this in their relationship and he wasn’t about to back down when it came to Diana’s safety or that of their unborn baby’s. “You suggested it,” he pointed out.

“You are truly impossible sometimes, you know that?” she yelled at him.

“I’ve been told,” he absentmindedly replied, his focus still on his work. “And just for the record, I’ve been called far worse.”

Bruce knew that he was beginning to tread on very thin ice now, but he couldn’t help himself. Diana was so gorgeous when she was fired up and the makeup sex after their heated arguments was always mind-blowing to say the least.

Besides, she was pregnant with his child. He was not about to let anything happen to the woman he loved most or the life that they had made together. The League would just have to get along without her for now; he, on the other hand, couldn’t.

Diana’s fingers twitched with the overwhelming urge to slug him, but valiantly railed against it. She fought against the hot angry tears rising in her throat, swearing to herself that she wasn’t going to be like those emotional pregnant women who cried at the drop of a hat over stupid little things like arguments with their lovers.

Unfortunately, the tears ended up winning out in the end.

Bruce looked up from his computer with sudden concern. He should have received a stinging retort or a slap upside the head for that last comment, but when he received nothing, he knew that he was in deep trouble now. 

The thin ice had just snapped and he was a dead man. 

He spun his chair around to find Diana standing before him, fists clenched tightly at her sides and tears trickling down her cheeks. It pierced his heart to see her crying, knowing that he had been the reason for it. He knew he could be a real ass sometimes and unfortunately this had ended up being one of those glaring moments, definitely not his finest.

Diana was hardly one for tears so seeing her crumble like this before him now was a little unsettling to say the least. He knew the pregnancy was already beginning to wreak havoc on her Amazonian physiology, making him even more chagrined about his callous behavior and smart ass comments. He was going to have to learn to behave himself from now on.

Turning back to the computer, Bruce immediately typed a quick message and sent it off before turning in time to see Diana beginning to stalk away from him. He quickly followed her, snatching hold of her arm before she reached the bottom of the stairs to the manor.

He quickly grabbed her and pulled her to him, enveloping her in his arms and holding her firmly against him. “I’m sorry, Princess,” he murmured as he gently stroked her hair, angry with himself for upsetting her.

“No, I’m sorry,” she whispered, pulling back to wipe the tears from her cheeks, ashamed. “I don’t know why I’m crying over something so stupid as this.”

“It’s because you’re carrying my baby,” he teased, kissing her on the forehead. “And now you’re not only struck with me, but a child who’s probably going to be just like me too.”

Diana groaned, her chin falling as she pressed her forehead against his chest. “What have I gotten myself into?” she moaned.

Bruce slid his hands into her hair, lifting her face up to meet his. He kissed her deeply until they were both breathless before finally retreating for air. “I’m afraid it’s far too late now,” he told her. “You’re stuck with us.”

“Well then, I guess I’ll just have to make the best of it, won’t I?” she lightly teased back, kissing him and nipping at his bottom lip as she began to stroke his chest.

“Want to go upstairs and kiss and makeup?” he huskily suggested.

Diana began to kiss along his jaw, her hands sneaking up beneath his black turtleneck sweater and sending a shiver up his spine as her fingernails raked against his muscles. “Don’t you have to go out on patrol tonight?” she breathed softly against his ear.

“All taken care of,” he gasped as she suddenly sucked on his earlobe. “I’m at your mercy for the rest of the night.”

Diana grinned with his words, her eyes suddenly lighting with a heated lust that caused his breath to hitch. “Wise move, Mr. Wayne,” she whispered, her fingers locking around the nape of his neck and pulling him in for another searing kiss.

\----------

Dick frowned, stunned at the sound of an incoming message. He quickly opened it, surprised to have received a message from Bruce.

 

-N  
In big trouble at home. Can you cover for me tonight?”  
-B

 

Dick could barely contain the laughter that bubbled up inside of him. With a huge grin on his face, he quickly replied with immense satisfaction. It wasn’t every day that the great Bruce Wayne was put in his place…and Diana was just the one to do it.

 

-B  
Really stepped in it this time, didn’t you? No problem. Good luck.  
-N

 

Dick sank back in his chair as he hit the send button, his imagination running rampant with every conceivable scenario of what Bruce could’ve done this time to upset Diana. He had a very good feeling that Bruce’s mouth had gotten him into trouble again this time.

Those two were both passionate and fiery in their own way, stubborn to the core of their beings. He had a feeling they loved just as hotly as they argued. 

Bruce should’ve known by now not to upset an Amazon warrior let alone a pregnant one at that. He shuddered to think of the painful consequences of such a bone-headed move as that.

He had a sudden sneaking suspicion that he was going to be getting a lot of these last minute messages from Bruce over the next seven months. He decided he better have some back up recruited and on constant standby to help cover.

XXX

“Bruce…” Diana gasped his name with every penetrating thrust that seemed to reach so deep inside of her. “Don’t stop…please…”

Bruce growled against her neck as he assaulted her throat, his every nerve-ending on fire as she clawed at his back. He didn’t think that he could possibly love this woman beneath him any more than he already did only to have her prove him so very wrong.

She suddenly came for him with a shuddering cry, her inner walls clamping around him and sending him into an intense release that nearly caused him to black out. He collapsed weakly on top of her, spent and covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

Diana wrapped her arms and legs around his powerful body, appreciating once again this perfect specimen of a man that had her pinned to the mattress, their moist flesh pressed together in an intimate embrace as they recovered from their intense release.

Bruce shifted, his mouth searching hers, claiming it and moaning softly in supreme indulgence. “Have I told you before how much I love makeup sex with you?” he murmured.

“Once or twice,” she thoughtfully considered with a smile, teasing his lower lip. “I think you provoke me on purpose just so you can have makeup sex…as if we don’t do it enough as it is.”

Diana suddenly rolled him over; her ebony locks a midnight waterfall around his head as if shielding them from the outside world and prying eyes. Straddling him, she kissed him languidly, slowly teasing him to an excited aroused state again.

“Princess, I can never get enough of you,” he firmly told her, his hands burying deep in her hair as he gazed up into her eyes. “For someone who knew next to nothing about men six months ago, you have become quite affluent in the ways of seduction and pleasure.” 

“I had a good teacher,” she replied, memorizing the handsome curve of his face for the hundredth time. She could never get enough of this man either.

Bruce sighed, completely and utterly taken with his amazing woman looming over him like the goddess she was. “I’m sorry that I upset you tonight,” he sighed. “I hate seeing you cry.”

Leaning over him, Diana could see the truth of his words shining brightly in his eyes, the pained expression on his face. It wasn’t often the Dark Knight handed out apologies and she knew better than to take this one lightly.

“It’s my fault for being so emotional,” she sheepishly replied, her cheeks growing warm with embarrassment. She leaned further over, taking his hands and interlocking them with hers before pinning them on either side of his head. She dragged her tongue across his lower lip, her breasts sliding against his chest. “I’ll understand if you’d rather go out on patrol than stay here with me tonight.”

Bruce moaned, his body already responding to her. All thoughts of anything but having this breathtaking vixen again were swiftly erased in the face of his demanding need. Besides, she pretty much had him at her mercy now, expertly pinning him to the mattress beneath her.

And by the wicked lustful gleam in her bright blue eyes, she wasn’t releasing him any time soon…in more ways than one.

She was going to draw this out, prolong his sexual torment and pushing his desire to the very brink of insanity. He felt himself hardening just with the thrilling prospect alone. He made a mental note to thank Aphrodite personally someday for bestowing his princess with such sexual prowess not to mention her immense capacity to love especially someone like him.

“I think…ohhh…I better just stay right here and…ahhh…atone for my sins,” he managed to get out between gasps and moans as Diana’s teeth scraped along his neck to the spot behind his ear that very nearly made him forget his own name.

“Are you sure?” she purred into his ear. “I don’t want to be guilty of keeping you from performing your duties or fulfilling your responsibilities.”

“Diana,” he gasped sharply as she wiggled her hips over him, his breathing growing ragged. “You’re my…only priority…right now.”

A sultry smile spread across her face as she rewarded him with another heated kiss, her hips rising with her movement. His hips bucked up in search of her, his body begging for the contact he so desperately craved with her.

Diana finally decided to end his torment, shifting her hips and welcoming him deep within her body, eliciting a long drawn out moan of pure contentment and relief with his connection with her. It was short lived, though, as the overwhelming need to thrust his hips became too much to bear or ignore.

“Is that what you were wanting?” she sweetly asked as she pressed her lips against his.

Unable to withstand her teasing any longer, Bruce suddenly took her by surprise, using his lower body to gain the advantage and flipping her over onto her back, all the while staying deeply seated within her. He quickly pinned her hands to either side of her head just like she had done to him, a triumphant gleam in his eye.

“Little tease,” he growled low before ravishing her mouth and kissing her senseless.

Diana lifted her hips, pleading with him to begin moving, now the one in dire need of relief of the throbbing ache that demanded he ease her suffering now before she lost her mind. The corner of Bruce’s mouth turned up, seeing how frantic she was growing to have him move and quell the burning need that lived between her legs.

He had known that same hunger just moments ago and still she had denied him for so long, dragging out his yearning for her until he thought he’d go crazy. Now, the tables had been turned on his sexy seductive princess, he in total control. 

God, he loved this woman.

“Bruce…please…” she gasped, arching her neck as her body trembled in sweet anticipation.

“Not so funny now, isn’t it?” he taunted, his voice low and raspy in her ear and sending shivers racing up her spine.

As much as he wanted to draw out her tortuous pleasure, he couldn’t hold back his own overwhelming need to move any longer. The feel of her surrounding him, caressing him with her wet heat was driving him wild. He pulled his hips back, thrusting hard and reaching deep inside of her, causing her to cry out his name. He swore it was a sweet sound that he’d never grow tired of hearing.

Diana moved her hips in unison with him, relishing the feel of him so hard and deep inside of her. Her sisters in Themyscira had no idea what they were missing, hating and shunning men as utterly useless. She had happily learned otherwise with Bruce Wayne, his incredible skill and focused attention in making love further cementing that notion.

His lips found hers in a rush of lustful emotion as he continued to make love to her, their bodies rocking as he pumped into her with wild abandon. He pulled out of the kiss, pressing his forehead against her shoulder. His panting breath was like hot blasts against her skin as she suddenly came with heated release, pulling her lover along with her.

Bruce rolled off of her, pulling her to lie flush against his body slick with sweat. He loved holding her close after making love as their skin cooled, their bodies coming down from that euphoric high they had reached together. 

“If you really want to do monitor duty for a few months before the baby’s born, you can use the javelin to get back and forth from the Watchtower,” he finally relented after he’d managed to catch his breath.

“Thank you, Bruce,” she kissed him, knowing deep down she’d ultimately get him to compromise. He could never say no to her for too very long. Besides, she would’ve found her own way there one way or another.

“Just remember – you also have a wedding to plan,” he reminded her. “I don’t want you over doing it.”

“So you’re still intent on going through with it?” she teased, her fingers drawing lazy circles over his chest, his shoulder her pillow.

“There is nothing that could keep me from marrying you, Princess,” he resolutely stated.

“You do realize that the Queen of the Amazons will be your mother-in-law, right?” she reminded him.

“I have faced far worse foes than a man-hating Queen on an island I’m not allowed to set foot on,” he replied, undaunted.

Diana chuckled softly with his response. Her fingers traced down to his hand resting on his abdomen, lacing her fingers with his and bringing their joined hands up to kiss his knuckles. “I’m afraid I’m going to wake up one day and find out it was all just a wonderful dream.”

“If this is a dream, then I don’t ever want to wake up,” he told her, his voice growing serious. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Diana.”

“I’ve never been happier than I am with you,” she told him, her thoughts shifting to the baby they had made a couple of months ago. “Do you want the baby to be a boy or a girl?”

“I just want a healthy baby who looks like you.”

“No, I want our baby to look like you,” she decided, as she shifted to lie directly on top of him, their bodies lined up perfectly. “You’re beautiful eyes …your nose…”

Diana leaned up, kissing the tip of his nose and earning a smile that spoke volumes of the happiness that he was feeling at that moment. It was one that she had seen on occasion, mostly when they were alone in those private quiet moments together when they could just be Bruce and Diana.

“As long as he or she has your smile and passionate fiery spirit, I don’t care what our baby looks like.”

“Besides a wedding, we’re going to have to prepare a nursery…decide on baby names,” she thoughtfully said, brushing her nose seductively against his.

Bruce wrapped his arms tightly around her, loving the feel of her luscious body blanketing him. Soon her round belly wouldn’t allow for a connection quite like this. They were going to have to find new and inventive ways to make love. The thought instantly heated his blood.

“I need to contact Dr. Leslie for your prenatal care,” he suddenly realized. “I don’t want anyone else taking care of you but her.”

“What about J’onn?” she asked with a furrowed brow.

“Definitely not,” he adamantly said, groaning at the thought. “I’m not about to allow anyone in the League to see you without clothes on…and especially not in that way. You belong to me, Princess.”

“Whatever you want,” Diana smiled at the jealousy that suddenly flashed in his piercing blue eyes, her hands slipping down to trail along his torso to tickle his sides to lighten his mood once more. 

“And I’m not ticklish,” he warned her, inwardly amused at her attempt.

“I’m sure even the great formidable Batman has to have a ticklish spot somewhere on his amazing body,” she purred, tilting her head to kiss along his jaw as her finger continued to dance and tickle over his body.

“Not one,” he firmly stated, emphasizing each word as his eyes fell closed. “But try all you want.”

Diana pursed her lips, accepting the challenge handed to her and resolving to come out victorious in the end. She continued to tickle and tease with her fingers, kiss and nudge with her tongue; the only reaction she was provoking was the hardening arousal beginning to press into her stomach.

Bruce finally peeked at her through one partially opened eye, the look of sheer determination lighting her face awakening his hunger for her all over again. He studied her with amusement as she blew a lock of raven hair out of her face in obvious frustration, causing arousal to course through his body once more.

He watched as she paused in her attack, biting her bottom lip as she plotted her next move. “Giving up?” he smirked, his heart beginning to beat harder as he stared at her beautiful face.

Her azure eyes gleamed brightly before narrowing with heated resolve as she sat up to straddle him, her chin jutting out proudly. “Never, mortal,” she taunted him.

Before she could begin a second attack, Bruce sat up, carefully tackling her and forcing her backwards onto the bed. His fingers began a very determined assault on her ribs and eliciting a fit of laughter that was like the finest music to his ears.

Diana quickly raised her arms to try to deflect his attack, but it was pointless. He seemed to know every single ticklish spot on her body, tears of laughter beginning to leak from her eyes. “Bruce!” she squealed, tilting her head back as laughter poured from her lips. “Stop!”

Finally relenting, Bruce settled over her pressing her into the mattress with his weight. His mouth swiftly attacked hers, their tongues dueling for control as the playfulness of moments ago soon dissolved into heated lust once more.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 3

Diana sat at the table in her usual spot between Superman and Batman, dressed in her star-spangled uniform that accented her perfect feminine curves. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to wear it for too much longer, bringing with it both joy as well as a sense of sad frustration.

She didn’t know how she was going to be able to remain in the Monitor Womb chair watching catastrophes strike all over the globe, being forced to watch as Bruce and the rest of the League tackled one dangerous threat after another without her there to help or to look out for her fellow teammates.

And it wasn’t so much that they couldn’t function without her or that she was the linchpin holding the entire team together. It was more just being able to keep a tight rein on her warrior spirit that burned so hotly within her, that demanded she fight for justice no matter the cost. It was also tempering the need that lived and breathed in her soul that always sought to help others. 

It would go against everything she knew, everything that had been ingrained into her, but she had to think of their baby. By staying on the sidelines, she’d be keeping her unborn child safe.

She forced her thoughts away from the frustration she felt beginning to brew inside and on Clark’s rambling speech. She felt a wave of nausea creep up on her, the baby making its presence known despite her best efforts to focus on work at that moment instead of the secret that was about to be made public.

She swallowed back the need to throw up her breakfast, her fingers wrapping tightly around the arms of her chair to keep control. She wanted to make it through this meeting, knowing that Bruce would be announcing her pregnancy soon and her leave of absence from the League.

Smiling to herself, Diana fondly remembered Alfred’s reaction to the news when they had told him a couple of days ago, his eyes shining brightly with tears of joy. She hoped that their teammates would be as excited for them as Alfred had been.

Thankfully, they already knew about her and Bruce, Clark accidently catching Bruce leaving her quarters on the Watchtower at a very questionable time of night a few months ago, a satisfied smirk on the Batman’s lips that had been readily observed.

Clark had drilled Bruce mercilessly until he’d finally caved, admitting that they had been secretly seeing each other for a couple of months. Clark hadn’t been all that thrilled at first, but soon came around to the fact that his two best friends were together now and obviously quite happy.

News had spread faster than the Flash’s legs could run after that and before long everyone knew much to Bruce’s extreme dismay. He had told her later that he wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed in any way about it, but had preferred keeping it theirs, something just between the two of them and having her all to himself without the others knowing or watching their every move.

Well now they were about to find out even more about their relationship whether Bruce liked it or not. She knew that her colleagues would be happy for them, but it would no doubt come as quite a shock. It certainly had to them.

While not planned, Diana found that she had never been happier in her life and it had all come from a man of all things. And not just any man, but in the form of Bruce Wayne, AKA the terror-inducing Batman.

To everyone else in the room, Batman appeared as though he was listening to Clark with rapt attention when in reality his focus was on the raven haired beauty sitting beside him. Even though he had seen her in her uniform thousands of times since he’d first met her, there was just something about seeing her in it now, knowing that she was also pregnant with his child that was driving him positively wild.

This was the first time he’d actually seen her in it since telling him she was pregnant and it was having an unexpected yet very profound effect on him, one that he was having great difficulty controlling. He could hardly think straight with her sitting there beside him, looking so sexy and practically glowing with the life that she carried inside of her…a life that he and she had made together.

Batman kept his muscles drawn taut, his jaw clenched tightly in an effort to keep his attention on Superman’s concerns about members habitually being late for Monitor Duty, but it was more than difficult with Diana’s gorgeous crossed leg casually swinging back and forth, intermittently brushing against him. 

Although necessary at times, he hated these weekly League meetings that usually amounted to nothing more than pointless discussions that never truly resolved anything of earth-shattering importance. The only thing that had ever made them worth attending was the opportunity to see the Amazon Princess who cast a radiance far brighter than the sun into even the darkest shadows of his life, filling him with a small sense of peace that he readily took with him long after he left the Watchtower.

Now, he was going to have to announce to them that they were going to be having a baby. While thrilled to his core about starting a family with Diana, he wasn’t too keen on letting their “extended family”, as Diana called them, in on their joyous news. 

He was far too private to just be announcing such personal things like this, but he knew they were going to wonder why he had taken Diana off of active duty status. In fact, he was mildly surprised that no one had brought it up yet during the meeting.

Then there was the other fact that they wouldn’t be able to hide her condition for very much longer. In another couple of months, everyone would see the evidence of their intimate relationship, her growing “baby bump” becoming a hot topic of discussion within the League with all probing stares pointed directly at him with questions they already obviously knew the answer to. 

Best to just lay it out there now he kept reminding himself, get all the congratulatory comments, the annoying pats on the back and over-eager handshakes over with so things could just get back to business as usual and he could get back to Gotham.

Hopefully, Diana wouldn’t mind hanging around answering all the uncomfortable questions he’d just as soon avoid like how far along she was, when she was due, how long have they known, were they trying to have a baby and if they were going to get married. 

He felt mildly guilty about throwing his future wife to the wolves while he made a very quick, very discreet exit, but wasn’t that part of married life? Sharing in one another’s burdens?

And this was definitely one of those immensely burdensome times for him he readily decided. As deeply as he loved Diana and this baby they had made, this reached way beyond the limits of his comfort zone, thrusting him directly into a limelight he’d just as soon avoid at all cost.

Besides, things had finally settled down around here since the whole Batman and Wonder Woman dating fiasco that had blown up a few months ago. He silently cursed to himself as memories of that night came flooding back to his mind, humiliating him all over again with his utter stupidity. He still blamed hormones as the reason for his error.

It had been an incredibly bad night in Gotham and he hadn’t seen Diana in days. To say he was very edgy and tense was an understatement of grandiose proportions. He’d been so desperate to see her that he’d immediately transported to the Watchtower after cutting his patrol a little short just to spend some much needed alone time with his princess.

He had successfully slipped silently into her quarters as she slept, kissing her awake and nearly losing his head in the process. He had made a mental note in that tense awkward moment to never sneak up on a sleeping Amazon ever again. 

After the initial surprise had worn off, things had turned rather heated very quickly, passion igniting and one Bat costume completely demolished well beyond repair. Even now, he congratulated himself on the foresight he’d had to keep an extra costume in her quarters for just such emergencies.

Having spent a couple of glorious hours with his lover, he had emerged from her quarters completely satisfied and a smirk on his face that only she could have put there. It had been a dead give-away that something had happened between them, but he hadn’t cared at the moment as blissful euphoria still fogged his fatigued brain. 

Unfortunately, he hadn’t counted on Clark coming around the corner at that moment, returning just before dawn from an away mission.

It had been a foolish mistake on his part for not checking everyone’s locations first before leaving, but Diana always managed to do things to him that no one else could do, practically making him forget his own name at times. The term ‘driven to distraction’ was a pale comparison to what the Amazon goddess actually did to him. 

And to say that Clark was more than a little shocked and upset would have been putting it mildly at that moment. Instead of being able to go home to sleep before having to head into work for an important meeting at Wayne Enterprises that day, Bruce had been forced to spend the better part of two hours trying to placate the Man of Steel before he got his head nearly removed for the second time that night.

Looking back on it now, though, it had been entirely worth it despite the fact that the Flash only just recently had stopped with the wisecracks and so-called amusing quips about him and his relationship with Diana. That night Clark had caught him coming out of her quarters had been a night that he hadn’t soon forgotten about. She had rocked his world in more ways than one.

But now, here he sat in a meeting, biding his time to announce his personal life to the League when he’d love nothing more than to secret Diana away in Wayne Manor and keep their private life just that until after the baby was born.

Unfortunately, Bruce knew he couldn’t do that to her. She wasn’t one for shadows and secrets and darkness. She was everything bright and good and open just like her heart, her love so enormous it never ceased to amaze him, even reaching so far as to encompass someone as cold and unlovable as him.

It was one of the things that had drawn him to her like a moth to flame - her love for life, her vibrant fiery spirit, her warrior-like passion, her steel resolve and fearlessness…and of course those legs that went on forever and ever. Those legs…

“Now if no one has anything else, I think we’ll…” Clark began to conclude the meeting.

“I have something I’d like to announce,” Batman’s raspy voice suddenly cut in, stunning everyone in the room except for the Amazon Princess who began to fidget in her seat with the nausea still rolling in waves inside of her.

“Go ahead, Batman,” Clark nodded, curious as to what his usually stoic, silent friend had to say.

“Diana and I are going to have a baby,” Batman announced, his voice dispassionate as if he had just explained new upgrades on the javelin instead of revealing that he was going to be a father.

Dead silence seized the entire room as everyone stared first at Batman before all eyes shifted to Diana who was growing paler by the moment. She swallowed hard, feeling heat rise to her cheeks as they all stared at her. Soon, though, the stares all shifted back to the cause of the announcement as he stood to his feet.

“I have taken Diana off of active duty status until further notice,” he continued in his matter-of-fact tone, sounding all detective at a debriefing and nothing like an excited expectant father. “She will still continue covering monitor duty and helping with mission reports for the time being, but as the delivery date draws nears, all duties will be stopped until after the baby is born.”

Diana sat there, inwardly groaning with how Bruce had chosen to announce the joyous news to their colleagues. He sounded like Bruce Wayne addressing a board of directors at Wayne Enterprises then a man sharing happy news with their best friends.

“It’s not like I’m going away or anything. I’ll still do whatever I can to help out around here of course,” Diana finally spoke up as she stood to her feet as well, all of them still in staring at them in utter shock.

“Within reason,” Bruce added with a sidelong glare at her.

Diana rolled her eyes, wishing she could steal away into her quarters where she could just deposit her breakfast before crawling into bed to hide under the covers. He was sounding like an arrogant controlling man keeping his woman in line and it was making her more than a little angry. No one controlled her or told her what to do, not even the domineering Batman.

“Congratulations to both of you,” J’onn finally said, rising to his feet with a grin on his face.

“Yes, congratulations,” Clark tightly said, the tight set of his jaw revealing his conflicted feelings about the announcement, his hard eyes locked solely on Bruce as if he had violated Diana against her will. “If you need anything at all, please let us know. We’d all be happy to help you two anyway we can.”

“Thank you, Clark,” Diana smiled, unable to keep the joy in her heart from reaching her face now that their secret was out in the open.

“Wondy and Bats are going to be parents!” Wally finally exploded with excitement, a huge goofy grin on his face as he sped to Batman’s side. “Can I babysit the little Wonder-Bat?”

“No,” Batman ground out, glowering at the red speedster whose hand was now resting on his shoulder.

Flash looked down, immediately removing the offending appendage from the Batman’s shoulder, his grin never leaving his face despite the obvious irritation he had caused. “Well, I’m happy for you,” he continued to gush. “It’ll be nice to have little rug-rats running around the Watchtower for a change, causing trouble instead of just me. Might also help lighten you up a little, Bats.”

“Well, congratulations you two,” Green Lantern quickly cut in, saving Wally from losing the hand that was still lingering dangerously close to the Batman. “I know you’ll both be great parents.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Shayera chimed in, coming over to hug Diana.

“Thanks, Shayera,” Diana returned her hug with equal excitement.

“I can just picture it now!” Wally roared with laughter. “Batman changing diapers! Hey, Di, can you take pictures of it for me? Will the diapers have little bat symbols on it?”

Diana bit her bottom lip to stifle the laughter that threatened to escape as she watched Wally harass Bruce. She could see Bruce’s irritation simmering beneath his cowl, steam practically rolling out from under his mask. She knew how much he hated attention being thrust upon him like this, but this hadn’t exactly been all her doing. He’d had a pretty large part to play in the fact that she was pregnant.

She inwardly groaned at the sudden thought of having to tell her mother. An Amazon impregnated by a man. If she hadn’t already been exiled from her home, this probably would have sealed her fate. 

Just before Batman could do any physical harm to Flash, an alarm sounded alerting them all to the fact there was trouble brewing once again. Batman raced to the computer in the conference room, punching a few buttons and pulling up the necessary information.

“Looks like we’ve got a hostile attack on Kazakhstan,” Batman announced. “I think it’s best if we all go just to be safe.”

Diana felt her heart lift with his words, more than anxious for a good fight. She’d been out of commission since the day she’d walked into the Batcave and told Bruce that she was pregnant. She began to follow the others racing out the door, excitement beginning to bubble up within her, the morning sickness suddenly forgotten.

Reaching the hallway, she came to an abrupt stop, finding Batman standing there with his hands on his hips, his cape draped for dramatic affect she was sure. His lips were pursed with agitation and he had a glare to match. “And where exactly do you think you’re going, Princess?”

“I...I was just…” she began, suddenly chagrined by her over-eagerness to throw herself headlong into a deadly situation and putting their baby at risk.

“You’ve got monitor duty,” he bluntly stated. “Try and behave yourself while we’re gone.”

Diana’s gaze fell, angered and frustrated for more reasons than just one. She felt like he was treating her like a helpless child. She was pregnant, not incapable of taking care of herself or their baby. Still, if she were accidently hit when she was busy engaging in a fight…she’d never forgive herself if anything happened to this baby.

She felt a sudden finger beneath her chin forcing her to look up into the white lens of her masked lover, his face suddenly compassionate and very uncharacteristic of the Dark Knight. It caused her to swallow hard.

“It’s only because I love you so much, Princess…and our baby,” he gently told her, leaning in and kissing her passionately, momentarily indulging and savoring the feel of her soft lips against his.

And then he was suddenly gone. Opening her eyes, she watched as he raced down the hallway towards the transporter, his black cape whipping fiercely behind him and filling her with such a sense of pride and overwhelming love for the man.

He was her Dark Knight, protecting the world and her from harm. She could hardly fault him for that, for wanting to keep her and their baby safe after the tragedies that had struck his life. It was just who he was, who his past had shaped him to be. His fears wouldn’t let him be any less than who he had become, steadfast protector of the ones he loved.

With a small smile on her lips, Diana sighed in resignation as she watched him disappear from sight before turning towards the commissary, deciding that an iced mocha might just be the trick for curing morning sickness before starting her shift.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 4

Sitting in the Monitor Womb, Diana couldn’t help thinking about Bruce, wondering where he was or what he was doing at that moment. It had been three days since Bruce had announced her pregnancy to the League in that very straightforward manner of his that had made her internally flinch with his methodical approach to something that should have been a heartfelt joyful revelation among friends.

But it had been anything but that.

She still couldn’t begin to believe that Bruce had made the announcement like he had and yet should she have really expected anything less from the stoic Dark Knight who saw emotions as a flaw and his world inaccessible to all outsiders? 

If she hadn’t been sitting there in the room when he had done it with everyone’s shocked gazes all shifting to her, she never would’ve believed it herself. Unfortunately, she’d been there for every bit of the mortifying incident she’d sooner forget than remember.

She suddenly found herself beginning to wonder what it would actually take for Bruce Wayne to show even the slightest semblance of an emotion in public besides just the terrifying visage of justice. He was going to have to tone it down or he would end up scaring their baby to death if he kept it up.

She just wished that he wouldn’t approach their relationship together as some standard business merger between two companies or a corporate takeover. Hera help her, but she would have thought a baby of all things would have surely done the trick.

She had been greatly mistaken.

It was right after that disastrous incident when they had all left her behind to attend to unrest in Kazakhstan that she had formed her letter to her mother, deciding that she might as well get it over with as well. It couldn’t possibly be any worse than how it had gone with their teammates…could it?

She knew that a letter wasn’t the most appropriate way to announce to her mother that she was pregnant and marrying a man, but she certainly didn’t have much of a choice in the matter since being summarily exiled from her homeland.

Her own mother had been the one to cast her out, making a return to Themyscira to personally tell her impossible. She felt a wave of sadness roll through her as she thought about her homeland, her Amazon sisters she hadn’t seen in what felt like forever. She felt a hollow ache in her heart for what she was being denied, but she had never for one moment regretted her actions that had resulted in her banishment.

Staring at the computer screens spread out before her now, Diana paused for a moment, picturing her mother’s reaction to the news she surely should have gotten by now. She cringed with the image her mind suddenly conjured up. Irate would be putting it mildly.

But Diana was a grown woman, making her own choices in her life and her heart had chosen Bruce Wayne. Her mother was just going to have to accept it and hopefully Bruce would survive her mother’s shock and outrage over the fact that he’d had the audacity to defile not only a virgin Amazon, but her very own daughter.

Diana allowed her mind to linger over that so-called ‘defilement’ over the last six months, the fiery passion that always sparked between them every time they were anywhere near each other, the smoldering desire for completion within one another that demanded to be sated.

Their lips would almost always meet in heated rush of desperate need, their hands frantically exploring as bodies slid against one another…

Hera, her sisters had no idea what they were truly missing out on.

A sudden beeping sound alerted her to the fact that she had an incoming message. She frowned when she noticed it was encrypted and addressed personally to her. She couldn’t imagine who it could be from.

She and Bruce hadn’t spoken since he had kissed her before leaving for Kazakhstan, knowing that she was still more than furious with him. He had stepped back, giving her some space and allowing her a chance to cool down.

She hadn’t left the Watchtower since then either, making him well aware in her own way that she was by no means happy with his little announcement and lack of sensitivity with the news. He presented their unborn baby like another bullet point on the agenda that needed to be checked off the list before moving on to the next item of business.

Diana knew deep down that he was thrilled about the baby, but his public display had been less than stellar, making her begin to wonder about his true feelings on the matter. Not to mention, he had yet to officially put a ring on her finger, cementing his intentions to marry her. 

Was he having a change of heart? Were his fears winning out?

Opening the message, she was stunned to find it was from Batman.

-D  
My home tonight. 7pm. Formal dress. Don’t be late.  
-B

Diana sat back in her chair with a furrowed brow, taken aback by the message, wondering what he was up to now. He knew that he was in trouble with her though she hadn’t exactly told him how unhappy she was with him. It hadn’t taken the world’s greatest detective to figure it out.

Even though his parting profession of love and passionate kiss before leaving for Kazakhstan had soothed a small measure of her ire, she had still been frustrated and hurt by his detached demeanor. 

This baby had been created in the midst of their demonstration of love for one another, not some business venture. To her, it was the most intimate act, a beautiful illustration of their love represented in this tiny little life now growing within her. 

This baby was a piece of both of them, a unique combination of their personalities and traits. No other child in the world would ever be quite like this one.

Didn’t it mean anything to him?

Shayera had told her later that she had cornered Batman after the mission about his lack of tactfulness in announcing they were going to be parents, Green Lantern echoing her sentiment about it. She had told her Batman had stared at them with that blank expression that revealed absolutely nothing, but felt that he had gotten the message when John had finally pulled him aside and spoken privately to him.

Whatever GL had said to Bruce had obviously sunk in because he was reaching out to her now, hoping to make amends for his insensitivity to something that was so life-changing, something that should have been very special for the both of them. 

Even though her anger had diminished some over the last three days, she still appreciated his attempt at making it up to her despite the total brashness of his invitation. Her lips twitched with a knowing smile, remembering how well they always made up after an argument. Besides, she found she really missed him, the nights spent in her quarters on the Watchtower so cold and alone without him there to wrap her body around.

Sitting forward, Diana sent her response, confirming she would be there. Now, she just had to figure out what she was going to wear. She guessed it really didn’t matter because once he saw her she wouldn’t be wearing it for very much longer anyway.

XXX

Buttoning the cuff of his dress shirt, Bruce couldn’t help the nervous flutter that sat annoyingly in the pit of his stomach. He knew that he hadn’t handled announcing Diana’s pregnancy to the League as well as he could have, but he hoped to make it up to her tonight.

After Clark had finally cooled off enough to speak intelligible sentences again, he had told him in no uncertain terms that he had been a complete ass when he had announced Diana was having his baby. In fact, Shayera and Green Lantern had basically told him the same thing but with far less tact as Clark had, Hawkgirl’s mace inching dangerously closer to his head during their conversation.

He knew that he had completely blown it, but sharing his private life with others was not his forte by any stretch of the imagination. He felt more comfortable in a business suit initiating a corporate takeover or cloaked in a mask and cape patrolling the streets of Gotham than he did expressing the incredible love for Diana had consumed his heart, the overwhelming joy he felt knowing she was having his child.

Letting Diana into his life had been one of the biggest steps he’d taken in more years than he could count and that had only been because he was utterly miserable trying to live without her in his life.

If he had a weakness, it was definitely her. And if there was some small chink in his Kevlar uniform…well it had glaringly shown itself in that moment standing before his teammates and being forced to lay his life out there for all to see.

Bruce sighed heavily as he adjusted his tie in the mirror, ashamed that he had acted as if their baby was nothing more than a tax deduction. Even though he was loathe to admit it, he had become uneasy in that moment, almost tongue-tied with the notion of letting his teammates into his very private world.

Diana was the only one who had managed to chip away at the thick walls he’d erected around his bleak private world; the only one had managed to find her way into his hardened heart. He was even still struggling with that at times, but being forced to allow his teammates in had almost been too much to ask.

So he had tackled it just like everything else he undertaken in his life – like an important mission or a business transaction, approaching it with logic rather than emotion, straightforward and to the point. It had almost always worked for him in the past, saving his skin more times than he could count.

Emotions were tricky, messy. They got in the way, but he was learning to accept them bit by bit because of Diana and the influence that she’d already begun to have in his life. Unfortunately, he hadn’t embraced them enough to make the announcement of their baby any easier on Diana.

He realized now how hard it had to have been for her to sit through that, everyone looking at the virgin Amazon who hadn’t been one for several months. Even though everyone had to have known they had been intimate for quite some time, it obviously hadn’t become a full reality until they were told about the baby.

Bruce smirked to himself as he recalled the horrified look that had passed over Clark’s face when he had made the announcement. He could have sworn Clark was going to lunge at him in that tense moment, his fingers twitching to get hold of some part of him…a particular part of him…with very painful results.

A sudden knock at the door pulled Bruce from his thoughts. “Yes?” he called.

The door opened to reveal Alfred, a smile playing on his lips. “Master Bruce, Miss Diana is here,” he announced.

“I’ll be right down,” he replied, pulling his sweater on over his head before taking one last look in the mirror before releasing a ragged breath. He just hoped he didn’t mess things up again or Diana just might hurl him through a wall this time.

Leaving his bedroom, Bruce made his way downstairs, his gaze already nervously searching for her. He had missed her greatly the last three days, miserable and utterly unbearable to be around as Dick had informed him yesterday. After the third restless night with little sleep, he knew what he needed to do.

He loved Diana more than he had ever loved another woman and he didn’t want to lose her especially now that she was carrying his baby. Even if she hadn’t been pregnant, the thought of her no longer being a part of his life made his knees weak with fear.

Entering the library, Bruce stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of her standing in the room, her back to him. She wore a flaming red dress that reminded him of Paris and instantly set his heart to pounding. He suddenly found it hard to think, to breathe as he just stared at her, drinking her perfection in and wondering for the millionth time what such a breathtakingly beautiful woman as this ever saw in him.

Sensing his presence, Diana turned to find him standing in the doorway, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he stared at her, the hot lust that permeated his blue eyes immediately causing her to flush with mutual longing. She smiled softly, his presence igniting the embers that always simmered in her soul for him as the anger and frustration of days ago vanished.

Bruce cautiously closed the distance, his intense gaze never leaving her face as he approached. No words were needed as he came to a stop before her, his hands immediately finding her hair, his lips capturing hers in a heated kiss that made her melt against him.

She returned his kiss with equal passion, her lips parting to allow him to fully taste every bit of her. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him flush against her body as a soft moan escaped her throat. Her hand settled on the nape of his neck, holding him where she wanted him as she savored this sweet moment with him.

Retreating for air, he pressed his forehead against hers as he fought to catch his breath. “I was an ass,” he whispered breathlessly, his eyes falling closed with guilt.

“Yes…you were,” she murmured, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips as her fingers played with the short black hair that rested against the nape of his neck. “But for some reason only Hera knows…I love you anyways.”

She watched as a measure of relief seemed to seep into his eyes, but something else still seemed to lurk there in those blue depths, something she couldn’t put her finger on.

“I’m not good at sharing my feelings let alone my life with others,” he admitted. “I’ve worked and lived in solitude for so long that it’s very difficult even now with you to tell you my heart.”

Diana looked down as he reached into his pants pocket to remove a small black velvet box. Her breath immediately caught in her throat, tears stinging her eyes. She watched as he lifted the box up to her, flipping back the lid as his eyes met hers in eager expectation.

“I would be honored if you’d be my wife, Diana,” he simply said as he studied her, his heart nearly pounding out of his chest in that pivotal moment.

Diana’s blue eyes flickered down to the box; the enormous diamond ring that sat nestled in cream colored satin sparkling brightly at her and begging for an answer. Silent tears suddenly broke free, trickling down her cheeks despite her best efforts to keep them at bay.

Bruce carefully pulled the ring free before slipping the box back into his pocket. He took Diana’s left hand in his, taking the liberty to slip the ring onto her finger. It felt as if his blood was rushing in his ears as he anxiously waited for an answer.

“I’m not always good at sharing my heart with you, but you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Diana, and I…”

She quickly silenced him as hers lips crashed into his, giving him her answer in that searing kiss. She knew him almost better than he knew himself and deep down she had known why he had reacted the way he had even though it had angered her greatly at the time. And this moment had more than made up for the fiasco of a few days ago.

They kissed for several long minutes, each relishing the feel of the other in their arms, their desire growing hotter, stronger by the moment. Neither wanted to stop, but Bruce had plans for his Amazon Princess tonight, things that he was more than anxious to get to.

He reluctantly pulled back, his breath exerted pulls of overwhelming desire as he held her close. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he murmured with a smirk, his blue eyes dancing with the happiness that consumed his heart.

“Yes,” she softly said, tilting her head and kissing him again.

Bruce’s hands roamed over her back as they kissed; savoring the sweetness of having the woman he loved in his arms and soon as his wife. The wedding couldn’t come soon enough for his liking, wanting to make it permanent as soon as possible.

“You better get planning our wedding, Princess,” he breathed heavily as she kissed behind his ear. “I want to marry you as soon as I can.”

Diana smiled against his neck, loving to know that he was as anxious to marry her as she was him. “Bruce, we have a problem,” she shyly admitted, her voice growing tentative as she pulled back to look at him, biting her bottom lip in that adorable way he loved.

“What is that?” he frowned.

“I don’t know how to plan a wedding,” she replied, somewhat embarrassed. “We don’t have weddings on Themyscira and I’m unsure what the traditions are in Man’s World. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

If her naivety had been a turn on to him before, it sure as hell was now as he gazed into her worried blue eyes. He found himself wanting to be upstairs in his bedroom alone with her right now more than ever, having his way with her over and over and making up for the last three days he’d been without her.

He buried his hands in her thick ebony hair, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “That’s what Alfred is for,” he reassured her, kissing her again.

“I take it she said yes.”

The sound of Alfred’s voice caused the lovers to break the kiss, a genuine smile spreading across the billionaire’s face. “Afraid so, Alfred,” he replied, his eyes never leaving his lover’s face. “She seems to think she can handle being my wife.”

“Heaven help her poor soul, Master Bruce,” Alfred smiled brightly at the Princess. “You better marry her fast before she has a chance to change her mind.”

“How do you feel about helping her plan a wedding for next month?” Bruce asked, taking Diana’s hand in his.

“I think that would be most lovely,” Alfred practically beamed with excitement. “I would love nothing more. Now, if you two think you can pull yourself apart for a little while, dinner is ready to be served.”

Bruce began to lead Diana out of the library when the doorbell suddenly sounded, causing them to pause. Alfred immediately went to see to their unexpected visitor as Diana held up her hand to look at her engagement ring again.

“Bruce, it’s absolutely beautiful,” she said, still overwhelmed. “I…I don’t know what to say.”

“It pales in comparison to you, Princess,” he told her, leaning in to kiss her again, unable to get enough of her.

“Where is my daughter?”

Diana and Bruce both froze at the sound of the all too familiar voice emanating loudly from the foyer. Diana’s eyes fell closed, her heart sinking like a stone as she pressed her forehead against Bruce’s shoulder.

“If you wouldn’t mind…” Alfred began.

“I do mind!” Hippolyta roared. “I want to see my daughter now!”

“Time to face my future mother-in-law,” Bruce muttered, his face growing determined. 

He wasn’t intimidated by anyone and he certainly wasn’t intimidated by the Queen of the Amazons. Diana was his now and he wasn’t about to let anyone take her away from him…not even her own mother.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 5

“You either get me my daughter right this minute or you will feel the full heat of my wrath,” Hippolyta yelled.

“Yes, Miss,” Alfred calmly replied with a slight bow, undaunted by the Queen’s venom. 

After everything he’d endured over the years with Bruce’s nocturnal adventures, this was about par for the course around here, seen as nothing more than another unpleasant interruption in the Wayne household that always seemed to try to turn life upside down.

“That is Queen to you, little man,” she spat out with great disdain.

“Mother!” Diana angrily cried as she raced to Alfred’s rescue with Bruce hot on her heels.

“Diana,” Hippolyta sharply greeted her, her furious visage only slightly less frightening now that her daughter had finally arrived. “Get your things. You’re coming with me immediately.”

“Where, Mother? You banished me from Themyscira, remember?” Diana asked with an arched eyebrow before finally making eye contact with the four Amazonian guards flanking her mother. While good to see her former sisters, she wished it were under better circumstances.

“We’ll just have to work something else out,” she snapped before her blistering gaze settled on Bruce. “You’re not staying here with this…this pathetic man!”

Bruce stood his ground right beside Diana, unfazed by the enraged glower that the Queen of the Amazons leveled on him. He’d had more tragedy in his life, had faced off against the worst filth of the earth, and had endured things that would have killed any ordinary man. This Queen and her guards scowling at him with spears glinting brightly in the lamplight were quite miniscule to him in the scheme of things for the Dark Knight of Gotham.

“I’m not going with you, Mother,” Diana heatedly stated, her own fury swelling like a dark thunderhead. “I’m staying here with Bruce.”

Hippolyta returned her surly glare to Bruce, her breaths growing exerted with the extent of her indignation. “What have you done to her?” she demanded to know. “Have you brainwashed my daughter with your depravity or did you just seduce her into your bed so you could taste what it was like to be with an Amazon warrior?”

“Mother!” Diana cried, shocked and horrified by her mother’s accusations. She could scarcely believe her mother was speaking like this or acting as if she wasn’t even here.

Bruce just crossed his arms against his chest, his gaze as equally furious as the Queen’s. “Actually, it was mutual and it was amazing if you must know,” Bruce bluntly stated, refusing to back down from the irate queen standing before him. 

“You arrogant contemptible man,” Hippolyta hissed.

“Like I’ve never been called that before,” Bruce snorted in response, unruffled.

“You have no idea what you have done, violating my daughter in such a way,” she continued to rant as she directed her tirade at the source of her rage. “I’ll make sure that you pay dearly for this.” 

“I love your daughter and I’m not about to give her up for anyone,” he boldly declared, not about to back down from anyone especially when it came to Diana. “I have asked her to marry me and she has accepted.”

“Diana, you can’t be seriously considering marrying this man!” Hippolyta gasped in shock. “It’s bad enough that you mated with him and that you’re carrying his child, but are you prepared to ruin your entire life by joining yourself to him in marriage?”

“I love him, Mother,” Diana firmly stated, her hand clenched into a tight fists as she forced herself to remain calm despite the ire teeming within her. “We’re going to have a baby and I am going to marry him. Now, you can either be happy for us or you can leave.”

“This is all your fault!” Hippolyta declared as she pointed an accusing finger directly at Bruce. “You have defiled my daughter and impregnated her, forcing her to marry you now. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Bruce’s piercing gaze shifted from the raging Queen before him to the four Amazon guards now flanking either side of her, their spears pointedly menacingly at him, ready to pounce at any moment. 

“Diana’s the best thing that has ever happened to me,” he evenly replied, stuffing his hands back into his pants pockets and displaying an air of indifference to the Queen’s verbal attacks. “Your daughter is the most incredible woman I’ve ever been with. She is the only one who has been able to look past my many flaws to the man that she knows I can be. She’s opened my heart and showed me a future that I want more than anything in this world – a future with her.”

Bruce cast a fleeting glance at Diana was smiling shyly with his words, her blue eyes sparkling with her deep love for him. She looked so damn sexy at that moment, making him want to be alone with her. He turned his attention back to the incensed Queen before him, Hippolyta practically trembling in indignation with his response, her nostrils flaring with rage. 

“She is an amazing woman who deserves much better than someone like you!” she roared.

“Enough of this, Mother,” Diana heatedly stated. “You banished me from Themyscira, never to return to my homeland and leaving me with nothing and no one. Since then, Bruce has become my life, my home. He is fearless warrior; one who deserves nothing but your gratitude and respect not your fury.

“He puts himself and his body on the line every single day with the Justice League and every night for Gotham without fail or any consideration for himself or his wellbeing. That makes him is more than worthy of my heart and my love, my lifelong commitment to him.”

Her words touched Bruce’s heart in a way he hadn’t expected, warming him clear to his toes and reawakening his hunger for her. Diana was absolutely sexy when she was furious; declaring her love for him and defending the life they were building together to her own mother.

He appreciated her attempt to keep him from having to endure the full extent of her mother’s wrath, but he didn’t need rescuing. He could handle this himself, had faced far worse with even poorer odds than this.

“You have a choice, Hippolyta,” Bruce flatly stated, growing weary of this interruption in his plans for tonight. “You can either be a part of our child’s life or you can leave and never come back. Either way, it’s your choice.

“Now, if you’ll excuse us, we were just about to sit down to dinner to celebrate our engagement.”

With that, Bruce snatched Diana’s hand in his and began to walk away only to have the four Amazonian guards swiftly spring into action to block their movements and halt their escape. With fluid proficiency that took the Amazons by surprise, Bruce disarmed the first within seconds, casting her spear aside with a clanging crash as it skidded across the marble floor before disarming the second one with equal skill.

Diana moved towards the other two guards, knocking the spear out of one Amazon’s hand at the same time the other guard’s spear came down, slicing through Diana’s forearm. With a fierce growl, she swiftly neutralized her other sister, Diana taking them both by surprise with her decision to side against them.

Turning, Bruce saw the deep gash in Diana’s arm, blood already dripping and pooling on the marble floor. “Diana!” he cried as he rushed to her side.

“It’s alright,” she attempted to reassure him, but could tell from the hot rage flaring in his eyes now that it was pointless.

Bruce quickly removed his sweater, wrapping it securely around her arm and applying pressure to stop the rush of blood. His patience had just run out in that tense moment. This had gone far enough.

“I’m sorry, my Queen,” the guard apologized, bowing her head before the Queen for inadvertently harming her daughter. “It was an accident…I swear.”

“I’ll deal with you later,” Hippolyta coldly stated. “Diana, are you alright?”

“Get out of my house,” Bruce ground out, venom punctuating every word as he glared at them, not as a man but as the fearsome Batman whose lover had just been injured.

“Bruce, I’m fine…it’s not that bad,” Diana gently told him, her arm throbbing mercilessly.

Bruce looked at her, neither his panic nor his rage diminishing with her attempt to reassure him. His hand came to rest against her cheek as he focused solely on her at that moment, ignoring the women standing there staring at them. Nothing meant more to him than her and their baby.

“Diana, I…” Hippolyta began, pained to see her daughter injured.

“Let’s get you down to the Batcave so I can take care of this,” Bruce softly told her, fighting to keep his fury from taking control of him. It was taking everything he had not to personally throw them out of his house and if Hippolyta hadn’t been Diana’s mother, he would have by now.

“I’m sorry, Bruce,” Diana murmured. Bruce had gone to a lot of work to make this evening special for her and her mother had just ruined it. She turned to look at her, her eyes twin azure flames of rage. “Goodbye, Mother. You can leave now.”

Diana and Bruce began to turn to leave when Hippolyta stopped them. “I’m so sorry, my little sun and stars,” she softly said, tears briefly stinging her eyes in a more motherly than Queen-like way before successfully banishing them. “I came here to force you to give him up, someone that you love and who obviously loves you deeply in return. For that I am truly sorry.

“You’re my daughter, Diana,” she continued with a ragged reluctant sigh. “It’s not easy watching a child make her own decisions. When you left Themyscira to live and fight for Man’s World, I had to learn to accept it just as I’ll have to learn to accept this decision. I wish you both many years of happiness together.”

Diana smiled, wrapping her good arm around her mother and pulling her into a hug. “You’re always welcome to come and visit your grandchild,” she told her. “Just promise to leave the guards at home next time.”

Releasing her, Hippolyta held her head high as she shifted her gaze to Bruce who was impatiently waiting to get Diana down into the Batcave. “Take good care of my daughter, Batman,” she firmly said. “You break her heart and I promise I’ll bring the wrath of Hades down upon you no matter how much Diana pleads with me not to.”

“Understood,” he replied with a curt nod, his anger still simmering despite her apology. Diana could’ve been seriously injured or their baby hurt with that accident. That wasn’t something that was so easy to forgive.

Bruce turned to lead Diana down to the Batcave as Hippolyta and her guards turned to leave as well. He was actually filled with an odd sense of relief as he continued to hold pressure to her wounded arm, thankful it hadn’t been more serious. 

The confrontation with Diana’s mother had gone better than he had expected except for Diana getting hurt of course. He had actually anticipated it to have gone much worse than it had. Now, he just wanted to fix Diana up so they could finally celebrate their engagement alone.

XXX

Sitting on the medical table in the dim shadows of the Batcave, Diana watched as Bruce gently cleaned the blood from her arm, guilt swelling in her chest and threatening to spoil their evening together more than her mother had already managed to do.

It had begun so perfectly, his proposal so Bruce in every way. She couldn’t have asked for a better moment in her life and the ring…it was perfect in every way. It felt like her heart had grown wings now that they were officially engaged, the ring on her finger clearly stating she belonged to Bruce. She never would have thought that a man could make her this happy…especially this man.

“I’m so sorry, Bruce,” Diana sighed, her eyes focused on the deep gash in her forearm, wishing now that she’d left her bracelets on tonight. “My mother had no right barging in like that, creating such a scene and making accusations, acting like you are not worthy of me.”

“Don’t be sorry, Princess,” he absentmindedly shook his head as he worked. “It’s not your fault. Besides, I thought it went better than I’d expected. I just wish that you hadn’t gotten hurt.” 

She watched as the fine lines around his mouth deepened with his frown, letting her know that he was still angry with her mother’s sudden appearance. Hera, he had to be the most handsome man ever created. She could still hardly believe he was truly hers, that he had chosen her to share his life…his future with.

“I’ve had a lot worse,” she reminded him.

“I know, but that’s not very comforting,” he snorted as he began to carefully wrap the white gauze around her forearm. “I hate seeing you hurt no matter what the circumstances are.”

“But it wasn’t that bad,” she replied, trying to brush it off as nothing. “It’s just a little cut.”

“A very deep one,” he corrected with a frown. “Any normal person would’ve needed stitches, but with your super healing it should be better in a couple of days.”

“I’m just glad that you weren’t hurt,” she told him, her hungry eyes roaming over his handsome face.

“I thought it was my blood that was going to be shed once I saw your mother standing there in the foyer with her guards,” he confessed. 

Diana shook her head with the thought. “I wouldn’t have let them hurt you no matter what.”

Bruce kept his focus on his work, her nearness already driving him to distraction. “I was prepared to do whatever was necessary to keep you with me no matter the cost.”

His words touched her heart and heated her blood. Every pass of his fingers against her skin sent tingles of desire racing up her spine. She loved his hands, the strength in them as well as the unexpected gentleness they could possess when they were alone together, either holding her close against him or bringing her incredible pleasure.

“So how you plan to announce our engagement to the League?” she asked, hooking a raven curl behind her ear.

Bruce inwardly groaned with the reminder of how well his last little announcement to the League had gone, how it had cost him three nights without her. “Maybe I’ll just let you make that announcement this time.”

“Good thinking, Batman,” she teased with a playful smirk.

“I learned a very painful lesson the last time,” he grimaced. “It was the longest three nights of life. I was all alone without you there to keep me warm when I returned from patrol, reminding me how lucky I am to have you.”

“If it’s any conciliation, I wasn’t much better off,” she admitted. “I missed you too.”

Looking up, Diana found him standing even closer now, his thigh shifting and brushing against hers, his face so focused on taking care of her just inches from her own. She could hardly think straight at that moment, his closeness causing her to flush warmly inside.

Unable to help herself, she suddenly leaned in, her lips finding his ear as her free hand began to lightly stroke the back of his neck. She felt him immediately stiffen with her sensual touch, a small gasp escaping his lips as she teased his ear with her tongue and teeth.

She had learned fairly early on what exactly turned him on and what just turned completely boneless and she used that knowledge to her advantage every chance she got. Bruce definitely never seemed to mind if the strangled sounds that emanated from his lips were any indication.

Bruce’s eyes fell closed with a moan as his hunger for her flared hotly in his belly. She could do things to him, make him feel such incredible sensations no other woman had ever evoked within him before in a way that was purely Diana. He couldn’t get enough of this incredible woman.

“Diana,” he gasped, his breathing growing ragged as he succumbed to the pleasure that she was quickly building within him.

He swiftly turned, his mouth searching and capturing hers, their tongues dueling for control in that lustful battle that only grew more heated by the moment. Their hearts began to pound in unison as his hands found her hair, their breath mingling as one.

Diana moved from his lips to kiss along his cheekbone, blazing a trail to his ear. “I want you so badly, Bruce,” she whispered, her voice heavy and airy with longing.

Sweet desire rolled through him at the feel of her lips suddenly meeting his again, knowing that she wanted him as desperately as he wanted her sparking the flames higher and hotter. He didn’t think he could get her up to his bedroom soon enough.

Unfortunately, Alfred had other plans at that moment as his voice filtered down the steps into the Batcave. “Master Bruce…Miss Diana…dinner is getting cold,” he unexpectedly announced.

Diana pulled back, dragging her tongue slowly across her lips in a slow seductive way that did little to settle the fire smoldering in the pit of his stomach for her. “I guess we should eat first,” she softly said.

“Alfred made you a special dinner to celebrate our engagement,” he informed her.

“He was that certain I’d say yes?” she asked, tilting her head to kiss him deeply again.

“He’s always been your biggest fan,” he teased. “Secretly cheering for you to win my heart though I knew it all along.”

“And here I was hoping that you were my biggest fan,” she purred before slowly teasing his bottom lip with her teeth. 

“Oh, I’ve always been your fan, Princess,” he told her, his hands caressing her thighs, reaching beneath the hem of her skirt as his mouth found her ear. “In fact, I’m growing to become a bigger fan by the moment.”

Diana chuckled softer with his lustful teasing, remembering they had dinner and a British butler waiting for them upstairs that they shouldn’t keep waiting. “Well, I’m more than anxious to show you how much I love my engagement ring,” she murmured. “And how much I love how well you handled my mother, but we don’t want to disappoint Alfred. I’m sure he went to a lot of work for us.”

Bruce sighed, doing his best to tamp down on the heated lust pounding through his system at that moment, knowing he would have to wait a little while longer to be with her. “As soon as dinner is over, you’re mine for the rest of the night, Princess,” he informed her, pulling her off of the medical table and into his arms.

“The whole night again?” Diana asked, surprised. “Why, Mr. Wayne, I’m beginning to think you’re growing serious about me.”

“You have no idea,” he muttered, kissing her firmly again before leading her upstairs.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 6

Diana lay on the medical table in the delivery room that Bruce had assembled in one of the rooms of the Manor unbeknownst to her. It had warmed her heart to see how much he was so focused on this baby they had made, his need to make sure that absolutely everything went smoothly.

He was growing more excited about the baby with every passing day though he did his best to keep it hidden beneath that stoic surly façade of his. She saw it still managed to break through at times, though, mostly when they were alone in bed, his large hand sneaking over to cup the small bump that had just begun to show.

The feel of his hand caressing and cradling her abdomen so tenderly in the dark solitude of night nearly brought her to tears every time as he allowed her to see a side of him that she suspected existed beneath the grizzled, tough as steel layers that he kept well hidden. 

Now that there was a physical sign of the baby’s presence besides just the fatigue and morning sickness, she too was growing excited as well, the reality of it beginning to wash over her.

The feel of the cool gel suddenly touching her abdomen sent a shiver through her as Dr. Leslie slowly moved the wand of the ultrasound machine back and forth in search of the fetus that was only a few inches long by now. She was anxious to see what their baby looked like and by the expression on his face she could tell that Bruce was too.

Peering up at him, Diana noticed his usual serious expression firmly in place, but now there was a true wonder dancing there in his blue eyes, an utter sense of amazement with the life that they had made.

He was holding her hand firmly in his, his thumb absentmindedly brushing back and forth against the back of her hand as he focused on the screen, waiting and watching in nervous anticipation just for a glimpse of his child. It put a flutter in her stomach and a smile on her lips.

She squeezed his hand, silently letting him know that she felt his excitement and was thrilled to be sharing this special moment with him. He had rearranged his schedule at work, moving an important meeting to tomorrow in order to be here for this despite Dr. Leslie’s insistence that she could arrange to do the test another day.

Bruce had been adamant that it be done today no matter what; wanting to make certain that everything with Diana and the baby was alright. And it was moments like these that Diana was reminded once again in the midst of the constant chaos and busy schedules and nightly patrols just how truly important she was to him, that he truly loved her above all else.

Feeling her tighten her hold on his hand, Bruce looked down at Diana, a smile playing on her lips and bright excitement sparkling in her eyes and he suddenly forgot how to breathe. She always managed to completely dazzle him, reaching in and turning his insides to jelly.

He smiled down at her, once again wondering how he had managed to win the heart of a goddess. If someone had told him two years ago that he’d be this head over heels in love with Diana, marrying and having a baby with her, he probably would’ve broken that person’s face.

Because of her, he’d discovered the capacity to love and allow himself to be loved in return though he still struggled with believing himself worthy of her. She’d shown him that love didn’t mean having to give up Gotham or the Bat suit. It hadn’t meant surrendering the life that he’d grown accustomed to, but only enlarging it to encompass the woman he loved, allowing her into the harsh wasteland of his desolate world.

And to his surprise, Diana hadn’t shrunk away in disgust or horror from his gritty world of crime and violence or the numerous emotional hang-ups that had threatened at times to steal him away from her.

Instead, she had shown him remarkable fortitude only she could be capable of possessing, embracing his world as just a part of him and loving him despite or in spite of all the lonely nights, the last minute cancellations and the scowling biting retorts. 

And when he had tried to push her away, to shove her out of his life, she had pushed back just as hard, standing up to him with fearless resolve in a loving yet firm way that only she could ever do.

And because of her unwillingness to give up on him…on them…they were here now in this moment, this miraculous awe-inspiring thread in the wondrous fabric of time that was now being woven into their life together.

And it was all his…and it was all because of her.

“And there it is,” Dr. Leslie introduced with a proud grin.

Bruce and Diana looked to find their baby no bigger than the tiny kidney bean on the screen, floating as if suspended in mid-air. He heard a soft gasp escape Diana’s lips, her slowly finger reaching out in absolute wonder to gently caress the screen in an effort to touch her baby.

Overcome with unexpected emotion of his own, Bruce leaned down, pressing his lips to her temple, her mouth turning to meet his in a sweetly passionate kiss. Diana’s hand came up to cup his cheek as they kissed, the tenderness of the moment bringing those persistent tears to her eyes again.

Caressing her cheek, Bruce felt wetness begin to trickle over his hand. Pulling back in concern, he found himself staring into watery blue eyes swimming with so much emotion.

“I love you, Bruce,” she whispered, brushing her lips softly against his again.

Leaning in and pressing his lips against her forehead, he replied, “I love you too, Princess.”

“Alright you two,” Dr. Leslie gently teased. “Let’s not work on a second baby until after the first one is born.”

“How’s the baby?” Bruce asked, turning his attention back to the screen, his face grim once more as was his voice. “Is the baby healthy?”

“Looks perfect to me so far,” she told them. “I’ll come back and check again in another couple of weeks to make sure, but call me if you experience any problems in the meantime.”

“Problems?” Bruce sharply questioned her. “What kind of problems?”

“Bleeding, abdominal pain…anything unusual,” she explained, noticing the sudden panic flitting through his eyes. “Diana and the baby are fine, Bruce. I don’t believe anything is going to happen, but call me if there are any concerns.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Diana reassured her, squeezing Bruce’s hand.

“How soon will the morning sickness subside?” Bruce asked.

“It should be dissipating in the next week or so, but if it doesn’t call me,” she instructed them. “We don’t want you losing any more weight. You need to be gaining some now.”

“Thank you, Dr. Leslie,” Diana nodded.

Dr. Leslie cleaned off the gel and then moved away, allowing the couple some privacy. Glancing at them as she packed her medical bag, she couldn’t help but smile as she watched them. She had never seen Bruce so happy in his life and it was all because of Amazon from Themyscira.

She was so relieved that he had finally opened up his heart and allowed himself to have this. His parents would be so very proud of him as she knew Alfred already was. He had confided in her all of his fears and worries over Bruce, knew of the constant ache that lived in the butler’s heart. 

Now, she was happy to see the ache had been lifted not only in Bruce’s heart, but also in Alfred’s because of the Amazon Princess.

“I’m so glad you were here for this, Bruce,” Diana softly admitted as she pulled her shirt back down. “I know it wasn’t anything big, but…”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for anything in this world, Princess,” he replied, brushing her dark hair back away from her face.

“It’s just I know how busy you are,” she continued as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “I know you won’t be able to be here for everything and I want you to know that I understand and it’s alright…we’ll be alright.”

Bruce sat on the edge of the bed with her, her words making him fall in love with her all over again. His hand found the side of her face, his lips capturing hers in a heated kiss, stealing breath and speaking volumes about his feelings for her.

The warm caress of his tongue against hers was setting her blood on fire for him. She hadn’t seen much of him over the last few days between League missions and nightly patrols of Gotham bringing him to bed in the early morning hours before dawn long after she’d fallen asleep.

She found she missed him fiercely especially with their wedding swiftly approaching. She could hardly believe that in another week she’d be married to this man, something that she had dared to hope would happen soon becoming a reality.

Her persistence and patience had paid off in the end, stealing the heart of the billionaire playboy and opening the eyes of the all too stubborn Batman to the fact that he indeed deserved to know love, a life beyond just the cape and cowl.

“I have no idea what I ever did to deserve you, but I’m going to damn well do everything in my power to hang onto you,” he told her, his eyes shining brightly with lust and longing.

“I’ve missed you,” she admitted, her fingers gripping the collar of his shirt. “The last few nights have been awfully lonely.”

“You’ve been asleep when I come home,” he told her, kissing her again. “I hate to wake you knowing how exhausted you’ve been lately.”

“Don’t worry about me, Mr. Wayne,” she smiled wickedly. “I can handle a little extra nighttime activity.”

“Who said anything about little?” he frowned, leaning in and kissing behind her ear. “Nothing we do together has ever been or ever will be little, Princess.”

“Diana chuckled softly with his response, the feel of his warm breath against her skin causing a shiver to ripple through her. “That is true,” she admitted with a knowing smile. “And it’s always amazing.”

“If I could, I’d spend the whole day here with you in bed, but unfortunately someone needs to make some money around here.”

“Oh you think so?” she asked with an arched eyebrow. “Being a billionaire isn’t enough for you?”

“Well, I can only imagine what this wedding is going to cost me,” he playfully teased. “And then there’s the baby to support and after it’s born you’re probably going to want to have another one and…”

Diana quickly silenced his teasing with a searing kiss, the thought of him wanting more children with her before their first was even born warming her clear to her toes.

Retreating for air, Bruce fought to catch his breath as he pulled her closer to him. “You know you’re making it damn near impossible to leave,” he murmured, the battle between hunger for her and duties at work raging inside of him.

“That’s the idea,” she purred seductively, tracing his lower lip with her tongue.

Bruce moaned softly, his fingers digging into her upper arm as if holding on for dear life lest he be swept away by her erotic pleasures. He could feel himself growing harder, his thoughts becoming more incoherent. He needed to stop now before he couldn’t.

He pressed his forehead against hers, squeezing his eyes shut against the rush of blood heading south in his body. “I have to go, but I promise come hell or high water, I will be here for dinner tonight with you,” he softly breathed.

“I’d love that,” she replied with a smile, cupping his handsome face in her hands. “You have yourself a date. Will dinner be in bed?”

“No, but it will certainly end up there if I have my way.”

“Oh you most definitely can have your way,” she whispered. “Several times in fact if you’d like.”

“You know you’re killing me right now,” he groaned at the erotic thought.

“Just giving you something to think about today and look forward to tonight,” she smirked triumphantly for having turned the mighty Batman into putty in her hands.

“I’m going to be lucky if I can walk straight at this point,” he grimaced, beginning to feel uncomfortable.

“I’d be more than happy to assist you with your…pressing difficulty…but since you have to leave…” Diana taunted, sliding off the table and out of his heated embrace.

Bruce immediately reached out before she could completely escape him, grabbing her hand and pulling her back to him. Diana suddenly found herself cocooned in his passionate hold, her body cradled between his muscular thighs, his arms wrapped around her, his mouth ravaging hers.

She had a definite feeling he wasn’t going to be leaving for work just yet as his hands began to work her skirt higher up her thighs. She was thankful Dr. Leslie had shown herself out already or she was about to see more than she had bargained for.

“So what are your plans for the day?” he asked, keeping her locked in his embrace as he contemplated showing up to work late and just giving in to his body’s demand to have her now.

He was after all the owner and CEO of the company. He could do what he wanted, couldn’t he? And what he wanted more than the air he breathed at that moment was her. It always had been and always would be her.

“Shayera and I…we…Hera, Bruce,” she gasped as his fingers caressed her thighs, his mouth teasing her long slender neck.

“Yes, Princess?” he smirked.

“We’re shopping…for the wedding…and the baby,” she finally managed to get out as his hands slid around to grip her backside firmly.

“Spending more of my money?” he teased, his tongue and lips sliding along her jaw before finding her mouth again. “Will there be a present in there for me somewhere?”

“Whatever you want,” she gasped, her head falling back as he kissed a trail down towards her breasts.

“Right now, I only want you,” he murmured, gripping her legs and lifting her onto his lap.

XXX

Sitting at an outside café, Diana couldn’t suppress the smile that curled the corners of her lips or keep the happiness from her voice. “It was amazing, Shay,” Diana told her. “I don’t even know how to explain it, being able to see this little life on that screen growing inside of me…knowing that Bruce and I had…”

Diana’s voice trailed off in awe as tears brimmed in her blue eyes. Shayera reached across the table, placing her hand over her friend’s. “I’m so happy for you, Diana,” Hawkgirl replied. “You of all people deserve this after all your struggles with Bruce’s demons.”

“He’s been wonderful,” the Princess admitted as she quickly brushed her tears away. “You should have seen him during the ultrasound, Shay. I don’t think he has ever looked so happy.”

“I’m sure once he sees you in your wedding dress you’ll be seeing that same look again,” she told her. “You’re going to look so beautiful.”

“I hope so,” Diana sighed. “I want everything to be perfect not just for me, but for him too. He deserves to be happy after everything he’s been through in his life.”

“Who is going to be his best man?” she asked, taking a sip of her drink.

“Dick and Tim,” she replied, her gaze falling on the large diamond engagement ring on her left hand.

“I’m sure it must be different for them to see Bruce so happy,” Shayera laughed at the thought.

“It has been good,” Diana agreed. “They’ve accepted me as part of the family like I’ve always been there and Tim’s so excited about having a brother or sister that he’s practically bouncing through the house.”

“Did you find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“No, we’re going to wait,” Diana replied. “Bruce wanted to know of course, but I managed to talk him out of it.”

“That had to have been a great feat,” Shayera grinned brightly. “I think that…”

Hawkgirl was cut short by a loud crash, the ground practically shaking beneath their feet. Bank alarms began blaring loudly, people screaming and running for cover as smoke poured from the bank.

Diana and Shayera both leapt to their feet at the same time, a scowl on Hawkgirl’s face. “Not even one day…not one blasted day to enjoy ourselves without something happening.”

Diana looked across the street as Bizarro suddenly broke through a bank wall, a bag of money in each hand followed by Cheetah and Mr. Freeze. “Great,” Diana angrily muttered under her breath.

She felt torn between what she knew she should do and what she had to do, the need to protect and uphold justice versus protecting the life of her baby. She could practically hear Bruce’s stern voice echoing in her head right now, warning her to stay put.

One kick to the abdomen by Cheetah, one punch by Bizarro could cost her and Bruce the life of their child and yet how could she sit back and allow innocent people to get hurt like this?

“Shayera to Watchtower,” she called into her commlink. “We need back up in Gotham now!”

“I see it,” J’onn replied. “Sending assistance now.”

Diana decided to do her best to hang back and pray that Hawkgirl could handle it until the others arrived, but deep down knew there was no way she could take on all three of them alone especially as strong as Bizarro was.

Just then, Cheetah spotted Hawkgirl and Diana across the street, a wicked smile splitting her face as she began to race towards them. “Stay back, Diana,” Shayera yelled at her.

Diana gritted her teeth, her fists clenched tightly. She was not helpless, but she couldn’t put the baby at risk. She couldn’t do that to Bruce, couldn’t force him to go through another horrific loss like that. She would not be the cause of his pain.

She was forced to stay back and watch as Hawkgirl raced towards Cheetah, her mace in hand. Mr. Freeze was aiming his gun at everyone and anyone who he felt stood in his way including her. Firing his freeze ray at her, Diana dove for cover, narrowly missing being frozen.

Bizarro’s disjointed speech suddenly filled her ears as he caught sight of her. “Pretty lady!” Bizarro yelled as he recognized her. “Bizarro need to save pretty lady.”

“Oh, Hera no,” Diana murmured under her breath, shaking her head as she stood to her feet to brush herself off.

There was no place to go, no place to hide now. He would follow her no matter where she tried to go. Staring at him now, Diana knew one way or another she was going to have to fight him. She just prayed to the gods that they would protect the baby…and that Bruce would forgive her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 7

Diana stood firmly planted as Bizarro barred down upon her like a red and blue semi truck, unwilling to back down from a fight. She would defend herself and protect her baby at all cost while still keeping her warrior pride and heritage intact. 

“I don’t need protecting, Bizarro,” she scowled, her fists balled tightly at her sides. “I’m warning you to back off.”

“Yes, Bizarro protect pretty lady,” he eagerly grinned as he drew near. “Keep lady safe.”

“You were warned,” Diana angrily mumbled under her breath as her fist swiftly connected with his face.

Bizarro flew backwards, crashing into a wall causing bricks to crumble down upon him from the force of the impact. He quickly stood to his feet, shaking the cobwebs loose from his head as he staggered towards her again. “That’s bad, pretty lady,” he frowned. “Me want to help you. Now let me help you.”

“I don’t need your help,” she firmly stated, casting a fleeting glance at Shayera who was in a fierce battle with Mr. Freeze and Cheetah, barely avoiding being frozen in a block of ice.

Bizarro quickly reached out for her, Diana grabbing his arm and twisting it, flipping him onto the concrete. “Me no like this,” he grumbled as he suddenly broke free from her grasp with a grunt, throwing her off of him like she was nothing more than a gnat and causing her to fall backwards.

She landed on the ground hard, hitting the back of her head with a groan. She opened her eyes to find Bizarro leaning over her, a forlorn look on his face. “You such a pretty lady,” he smiled. “Bizarro might keep you for himself.”

Diana kicked her legs out, striking him directly in the chest and shoving him away from her. She knew this was pointless. It was like fighting Superman, their strength nearly equally matched. At the same time, she couldn’t let him get his hands on her. She needed to keep him moving, dodging his attempts to grab her.

Besides, Bruce would no doubt be showing up here any moment. He would be beyond upset with her when he finally saw her. Her skirt was already torn, dirt streaking her white shirt. She was never going to hear the end of the scathing lecture that was no doubt going to come.

“Bizarro want to help you!” he yelled as he got back on his feet and began to storm towards her.

“I said I don’t need your help!” Diana angrily ground out as she leapt to her feet, circling him as her mind raced with something that she could use to slow him down without any bodily contact. 

“I save you…keep you for Bizarro,” he insisted.

“I am not yours to take,” Diana scowled, grabbing a nearby metal light post and ripping it out of the concrete. Using it like a baseball bat, she slammed it hard against his side, sending him careening into a store front.

She quickly turned her attention to Shayera who had taken out Cheetah, but wasn’t having as much luck with Mr. Freeze just yet. Diana began to make her way towards them when the sound of crunching glass caused her to turn back around.

Stepping out of the rubble and back into the afternoon sunlight, Bizarro growled, growing enraged by Wonder Woman’s resistance to his help. “You make Bizarro mad,” he yelled at her, suddenly grabbing her by the throat and lifting her up off the ground. 

“Let her go, Bizarro.”

Batman’s enraged voice filled Diana’s ears, causing her to grimace. This was definitely not the assistance she had hoped would arrive. She couldn’t draw air as Bizarro swung around to face the Batman, holding onto her like she was nothing but a ragdoll.

She clawed at his steel grip around her neck, trying to break free before he crushed her windpipe. She repeatedly slammed her fist on his arm, forcing him to finally release his hold on her. He dropped her with a sneer on his lips, a batarang suddenly cracking against his forehead.

Kneeling on the ground, Diana coughed as she fought to catch her breath again, doing her best to avoid making any eye contact with Batman. He would definitely not be in the mood to hear any explanation for what had happened regardless of how it hadn’t been her fault. She had been involved and that would make him more than irate no matter the reasons.

“Leave Bizarro alone!” he stomped his boots. “Pretty lady mine not yours!”

“That’s what you think,” Batman muttered under his breath as he threw another batarang, an electrically charged wire suddenly releasing from it and wrapping around Bizarro, shocking him senseless and containing him for the moment.

Turning, Diana saw Superman helping Hawkgirl finish off Mr. Freeze, Cheetah already lying on the ground groaning from the feel of a mace to her skull. Diana was more than thankful it hadn’t turned out to be any worse than it could have been.

She felt a gloved hand firmly gripping her arm as she slowly stood to her feet, her hand finding the back of her head and the knot that had already begun to form. She winced as she lightly rubbed it, her gaze finally locking with the white lens of the Batman’s cowl as he released his grip on her.

“Are you alright, Princess?” he brusquely asked, keeping a measure of distance from her now. 

He didn’t want anyone to link the Batman to Wonder Woman in any romantic way since she was already engaged to Bruce Wayne and pregnant with his baby. He couldn’t afford the association coming back to the Dark Knight of Gotham in any way no matter how desperate he was to know if she was alright, their baby safe.

“I’m fine,” she reassured him, looking down at her ruined outfit. She looked much worse than she actually felt.

“You need to see Dr. Leslie right away,” he growled at her, his voice low and barely audible but his fury more than apparent.

She could practically feel his anger roiling over him as he quickly turned his back to her as if she was nothing more than a stranger on the street. She wanted so badly to explain to him what had happened, how she’d had no other choice but to fend Bizarro off in order to protect their baby.

Right now, though, he could barely look at her let alone speak to her.

“Batman, I’m…” Diana began, her hand falling apologetically to his shoulder.

“Tell Superman and Hawkgirl to get out of my city,” Batman curtly stated as he shrugged her hand off, shooting his grappling gun and escaping before he was forced to face the overwhelming horror that was devouring him on the inside and stealing his breath.

Diana watched as he swiftly landed on the top of a nearby building before disappearing from view. She released a ragged breath, feeling defeated and frustrated as Superman hauled Bizarro onto his feet to deposit him and the others at Arkam. 

Hawkgirl raced towards her, concern etched in her face. “Are you alright, Diana?” she asked before quickly looking around her. “Where did Batman go?”

“I’m fine,” Diana sighed. “He left.”

“He left?” she repeated, her voice rising. “He didn’t stay to make sure you were alright?”

“He was too angry to stick around,” she admitted, wrapping her arms around herself as if holding herself together.

“I’m sure he’s just upset about what happened to you,” Hawkgirl attempted to reassure her, rubbing Diana’s arm. “He loves you, Diana. Just give him a little time.”

“Are you alright?” Superman asked as he landed beside his female teammates, concern lining his face. “Did you need to go back to the Watchtower for medical treatment?”

“No, I’m alright,” Diana insisted. “Nothing a hot bath won’t fix.”

“What happened to Batman?” Superman asked as he looked around, suddenly noticing his absence.

“He had to leave,” Diana replied, rubbing the back of her head again. “He told me to tell you two to get out of his city.”

Superman snorted as he folded his arms against his chest. “You can tell him I said ‘you’re welcome’,” Clark said with a roll of his eyes. “Does he know yet about the party?”

“No, I don’t believe so,” Diana shook her head. 

“I just hope Flash can keep his mouth shut and not ruin the surprise,” Hawkgirl scowled.

“You know Flash,” the Amazon smiled. “He can hardly ever keep quiet especially when it comes to a party.”

“Well, he’ll have a personal meeting with my mace if he lets it slip,” Shayera sneered.

“Alright, I’ve got to go,” Superman said. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Thanks for the help,” Diana told him.

“Any time, Di,” he smiled warmly. “Just try to stay out of trouble next time. I don’t think Bruce’s heart is going to be able to take it.”

Diana tucked a raven lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m not sure he’s going to survive this pregnancy at all at this rate,” she agreed.

“We’ll get you two through it,” Shayera promised. “I’ll check on you later. We still have shopping to finish before next weekend.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Diana nodded, watching as her two friends took to flight.

Walking over to the smashed tables and overturned chairs, she bent over and picked up her forgotten packages and purse, her mind swimming with dread and guilt. She was going to have to face Bruce tonight about what had happened this afternoon and she knew it wasn’t going to be good.

She was going to have to face the music and it definitely wasn’t a happy tune.

XXX

Batman peered over the ledge of the building, his eyes locked solely on the raven-haired goddess standing on the sidewalk talking to Hawkgirl and Superman. His heart felt like it was galloping out of control and right out of his chest at that moment.

Flying in at the sight of Bizarro clutching Diana by the throat, swinging her around like she was nothing more than a toy had very nearly pushed him right over the edge of reason and sanity. All he could think about at that terrifying moment was how he was going to lose her…lose their baby, everything that he held dear in his life.

It had rattled him to his core in a way that he’d never felt, making him curse himself for needing her so desperately and yet knowing deep down that they were somehow just meant to be together despite the overwhelming odds. He was not meant to live this life without her. That he finally knew…understood.

Watching her now, he could barely think straight, the grim expression on her face tugging at his heart. He could tell from the way that she rubbed the back of her head that she had taken a nasty blow, one that could have cost him everything.

He shuddered to think of what could’ve happened had he not come when he had, if he had been a few moments later.

No, Diana was strong, the strongest person he had ever met and not just physically. He knew she could’ve handled Bizarro on her own, but at what cost? That was a price he wasn’t willing to pay, not with the life of the woman he loved or their baby.

He regretted leaving her so abruptly like he had, not personally taking her to Dr. Leslie to make sure that she was truly alright, but the sheer intensity of his rage at that moment hadn’t allowed him to stay with her. 

He had wanted so desperately to rip the cowl from his face, to clutch her to him and kiss her like he’d never kissed her before. He had wanted to hold her, to feel the brush of her warm breath against his face, the beat of her heart pressed against his chest letting him know beyond a doubt that she was alive and that she was safe once more.

Instead, he had let his fear and his anger reign inside of him, taking control of his actions. He had left her with an obvious frosty chill to the air between them, blocking her out of his emotional turmoil at that moment as he allowed the grappling to carry him away from her and safely back into the shadows where he could brood alone in the solitude that was like his second home.

She shouldn’t have been there, shouldn’t have gotten involved in that fight in the first place, tangling with Bizarro of all people. What had she been thinking putting her life as well as their baby’s at risk like that? 

She was Wonder Woman that’s who.

Her nature wouldn’t let her stay out of a fight no matter what, her warrior heart leading her into battle every time no matter the odds, not matter the cost…even their baby though?

His scowled deepened with his hurt. He knew she could take care of herself, could fight harder than even him or Clark sometimes, but that didn’t make it any easier watching her throw herself out there so willingly, so sacrificially.

She was his now, belonged to him. She had given her heart to him, had agreed to marry him, was carrying his baby. Didn’t she understand he couldn’t go through losing someone he loved more than life itself again?

Diana had forced him to face his feelings, feelings he had wanted to leave hidden, ignoring them and suffering in silence regardless of how miserable it had made him and look what it had brought him. Nothing but sick dread coursing through his veins every time he saw her in trouble, his stomach roiling with terror that fate – something he didn’t even believe in – would strike again in his life, depriving him of something he thought he was never meant to have in his life – love.

Maybe he should just walk away now before it was too late, before he got hurt again, his fragile heart being crushed by yet another horrifying loss. He tried to steel his heart again, to force logic over feelings, dissecting and analyzing things once more.

Grinding his teeth, Batman watched as Superman and Hawkgirl left, leaving Diana standing there all alone in the midst of the mess and debris that the super villains had created. She looked so small, so hurt by his absence and yet he couldn’t force himself to go back down there no matter how much he wanted to. His pride wouldn’t allow it.

Diana looked around at the rubble and remains that littered the street, the Gotham PD cleaning up the aftermath of yet another disastrous crime gone bad as her hand went to her abdomen to gentle stroke the small bump there. Damn, she was so beautiful, completely captivating him and yet always keeping him on his toes.

She slowly turned and gathered her belongings; bags filled with things for their wedding…their baby…maybe even for him if he was lucky. She began to walk away before lifting towards the skies to return to their home.

Watching her leave, Bruce was yet again stunned by how vast and deep his love ran for this woman, knowing he could never leave her, never lose her.

XXX

Finally getting her hot bubble bath, Diana was feeling much better and more than thankful that she and the baby had escaped unscathed for the most part. The biggest battle still awaited her, though. She still had to face Bruce.

Dressing, her heart even now felt the overwhelming heaviness that had pervaded it since seeing Bruce’s face this afternoon. Even though partially hidden beneath the fierce cowl of the Batman, she could read him like a book, knew his every expression…or lack of one…down to the minutest twitch of his jaw.

Bruce was beyond furious with her and a part of her couldn’t really blame him. She deserved his ire not his love tonight no matter how badly she had missed him these last few days or the red negligee she had bought especially for him earlier that day to show him how much she loved him.

Holding up the red lace panties and garter belt, she couldn’t help replaying the events of this afternoon, wishing that she and Shayera had picked some other place to stop for an iced mocha, preferably on the other side of Gotham.

It wasn’t her fault that those three had decided to rob a bank at that exact moment. Besides, what was she supposed to do? Stand there and let Bizarro throw her around like his personal play toy?

Placing her present for Bruce back in the bag, Diana drew a deep breath, steeling herself for the cutting lecture that no doubt awaited her downstairs. Alfred had been kind of enough to let her know that Bruce was home and that dinner would be served shortly.

Running a brush through her hair one more time before leaving, she made her way downstairs, ready to face whatever awaited her and yet prepared to logically debate the Bat on every point in order to defend her decision to face Bizarro.

She passed by the library where had proposed to her just over three weeks ago to find Bruce standing before the portrait of his parents hanging on the wall above the fireplace. His back was to her, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he silently brooded before his mother and father.

Staring at him, Diana knew that he would never get over the senseless loss of his parents, but she hoped to give him more hope to look forward to and less pain to look back on. She knew she couldn’t heal his every hurt, but she intended to erase the scars that she could.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

His voice was choked with emotion, both fear and anger, and the guilt inside of her swelled like a dark thunderhead. “I’m fine, Bruce,” she softly said, knowing that he would know she was standing there despite her silence. “I promise.”

“How’s your head?”

“Hard as always,” she replied, hating speaking to his back, but he obviously still couldn’t face her yet.

She heard a soft snort of amused agreement coming from him that startled her. Maybe it wasn’t quite as bad as she had first thought it was.

“I know you didn’t have a choice, Diana,” he said, his hand finding the mantle and gripping it as if searching for support.

Diana. Not Princess. Diana. She was still in trouble despite his words. He must have reviewed the video footage. It would have been the only way that he would’ve known.

She slowly made her way to him, coming to a stop behind him. She wanted so desperately to touch him, but didn’t dare just yet. “Bizarro didn’t really leave me much of a choice,” she told him.

“You could have flown away,” he pointed out, but his argument sounded lame even to his ears. Bizarro would’ve no doubt tried to follow her if she had fled. Besides, leaving a teammate to fend for herself even went against his own code of honor let alone an Amazon’s.

Bruce turned around before she could even voice a counter attack, swiftly enveloping her in his arms and burying his face in her luscious hair, clinging to her for dear life. He breathed deeply, inhaling her heavenly scent that seemed to reach inside and soothe his soul like nothing else ever could.

Diana held him close, gently rubbing his back and giving him whatever he needed from her in that moment. “I’m so sorry, Bruce,” she whispered. “If there had been another way, I would’ve taken it in a heartbeat. You…this baby…means more to me than…” her voice suddenly broke off, cracking with emotion before finally able to speak again. “You both mean everything to me.”

Bruce pulled back, kissing her deeply the way that he had wanted to so badly this afternoon after stopping Bizarro. Pulling back, he pulled her close again, his lips against her ear. “There had better be a present for me in the packages you had earlier. I believe you have some repenting to do.”

Diana’s lips curled with his teasing words, the hurt and fear still lingering in his voice but it was definitely less than what it had been. And hopefully after she was through with him, it would be full of nothing but ecstasy instead.

“Oh, I most definitely have something reserved especially for you,” she purred seductively in his ear. “In red.”

“Want to save dinner for later so you can begin atoning for scaring the life out of me this afternoon?” he playfully asked.

“I love how you think,” she grinned, her heart suddenly feeling lighter as she released him. Grabbing his hand, she quickly led him back upstairs, more than eager to begin to make it up to him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 8

Sitting in the solitude of the Monitor Womb of the Watchtower, Batman checked the numerous monitor screens, checking on any possible catastrophes that might require assistance at that moment. Despite his apparent attention to his duties, his mind was still replaying every intensely erotic moment spent with Diana last night.

She had more than made up for scaring the life out of him yesterday afternoon, the little red lacy bra and panties so incredibly sexy on her perfect body. And that garter belt adorning her long legs nearly stopping his heart altogether for a completely different reason. 

To have called last night passionate would be an understatement of great proportions. And now he was finding himself more than anxious to be with her again tonight after he came home from patrol as long as she wasn’t too exhausted.

He didn’t know how it was possible, but the more that they made love, the more he wanted her. When it came to Diana, it seemed being satiated never lasted for very long, his hunger for her returning so quickly, so powerfully.

Bruce released a ragged breath as memories of yesterday came rushing to the surface once more, thankful that Diana was alright after that encounter with Bizarro. It had rattled him to his core seeing her being held around the throat by that deranged Superman wannabe.

Bizarro could be unpredictable at best, not completely certain how he will react in any given situation. Any other time he wouldn’t have been so panic-stricken, knowing Diana could take care of herself, but she was carrying their baby. One wrong move, one powerful punch or one well-timed kick could mean the loss of their unborn child.

He knew all too well the devastation that came with losing someone he loved, someone central to his life. He never wanted to go through that again and definitely didn’t want Diana to have to face such a horrific loss like that.

Turning his attention back to the reports he was typing into the computer, Bruce chose to focus on his reunion with Diana instead of the ‘what ifs’ and ‘could haves’. It would only drive him crazy, making him want to control every single little aspect of Diana’s life and pregnancy and he knew he couldn’t do that to her.

First, because she would most definitely kill him or worse kick him out of their bedroom. Second, because he loved her too much to force her to endure his neurotic tendencies and overpowering need to control every outcome. 

She had accepted him as he was, his dark obsessions as well as his need to protect Gotham and loved ones at all cost. He couldn’t press his luck at this point especially since she’d already agreed to marry him.

Not to mention, pushing a pregnant emotional Amazon warrior was nothing short of suicidal.

He could hardly believe that in another week Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy of Gotham would officially be off the market and wed to the Amazonian exiled Princess of Themyscira. 

It seemed too good to be true, a fantastic dream that was meant for someone other than him – the Dark Knight with the cold heart of stone and enough psychological hang-ups to drive any level-headed psychiatrist into lunacy.

Batman heard the Monitor Womb doors suddenly swoosh open, knowing it was her before she could even say anything. He didn’t say a word, allowing her to greet him and knowing it would be a greeting worth waiting for.

Despite himself, Batman was feeling rather cheerful, almost playful for a change…if one could actually call it that. He was marrying the most amazing, most sexy woman ever created and she was carrying his baby. What was there not to be happy about?

The feel of slender fingers seductively sliding along his shoulders, the heavenly scent of her hair, the brush of her breath against his jaw as she leaned in close to him was already setting his heart to racing and she hadn’t even done anything yet.

“Princess,” his deep voice raspingly greeted her, trying to keep from revealing how much she was already turning him on as he continued to type. 

He didn’t want her to know just how much power she actually held over him just yet although he had a sneaking suspicion that she already knew it and used it to her advantage every chance she got. He was so screwed.

“You left awfully early this morning,” she murmured low, her lips caressing his jaw as he fought to maintain control. “I didn’t get to greet you good morning properly.”

Batman felt a hot shiver lance through him with her words. After last night’s strenuous activities, he was positive that his princess had been more than exhausted and had chosen to allow her to sleep rather than wake her up for another passionate round of love making.

“I thought you could use the sleep after I kept you up late last night,” he evenly stated, trying to focus on the computer monitor instead the slow sensual slide of her lips along his jaw.

Diana smirked with his response. The red bra and panties she had bought hadn’t survived the night. “You seemed to really enjoy the present I got for you.”

“Enjoy doesn’t begin to cover it, Princess…or how little was actually covering you,” he replied with a slight upturn of the corners of his mouth, lustful thoughts reawakening in his mind all over again with the reminder.

Releasing her hold on him, Diana turned to sit against the desk so she could face him. He was not the least bit surprised to see her dressed in simple short blue dress, her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail. Damn, she was so breathtaking without even trying.

The small bump of their growing baby was already making her form fitting uniform too tight to wear much to his delight. He didn’t know how he was going to be able to wait the full nine months.

“What are you up to, Princess?” he asked, finally making eye contact with his fiancée.

“Can you believe in less than week we’re going to be married?” she asked, reaching out to lightly run her finger along his chiseled jaw that she adored.

“It can’t come soon enough,” he admitted, turning his attention back to his work.

“And you still won’t tell me where we’re going for our honeymoon?” she playfully pouted.

“Nope, not even a clue,” he told her. “It’s going to be a complete surprise.”

“And how am I supposed to know what to pack?”

A smirk tugged at his lips. “I already packed your suitcases.”

“Oh, really?” she replied in surprise with an arched eyebrow. 

“Yes, you’re all set to go,” he told her. “All you need to do is show up for the wedding.”

“Maybe I’ll just have to see what Alfred knows,” she devilishly plotted.

Batman bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling at her attempt to discover what only he knew. “Alfred doesn’t even know,” he said. “In fact, no one does. I took care of arranging it all by myself.”

Stunned, Diana stared at him in absolute wonder at his thoughtfulness. Bruce usually had Alfred take care of everything for him, only taking on certain things when the mood struck or if he had gotten himself in dire trouble with her and needed to get himself out of it.

The fact that he had taken such care in surprising her with their honeymoon plans touched her deeply. “Bruce, I can’t believe you went to all that work yourself,” she shook her head in amazement.

Batman paused what he was doing to tuck a lock of raven hair behind her ear. “Anything for you, Princess,” he told her. “I’d give you the moon if I could.”

Diana leaned in, cupping his cowled face and kissing him deeply. “I plan on making your honeymoon one you never forget.”

“I don’t know how you could possibly top last night, but I guess I’m going to have to force myself to find out,” he smirked.

“I have my ways,” she practically purred. “Remember, I was blessed by Aphrodite…among others.”

Bruce’s breath hitched sharply with her words, amazed at how a virgin who had given herself to only him knew so much about love and sex. And this would be one thing the great detective wasn’t about to question, but was most definitely more than determined to investigate to its fullest.

“Want to eat lunch with me?” she asked, kissing him softly. “Your shift is almost over and I’m absolutely starving.”

Bruce chuckled softly at her. “The tired old ‘eating for two’ excuse?” he lightly teased her, relieved that the morning sickness had finally passed. He had feared that she would never gain weight with the baby at this rate.

“Hey, it’s true!” she frowned, folding her arms against her chest in mock indignation. “I can finally eat without getting sick now and I’m definitely going to enjoy it.”

“Well, as soon as Hawkgirl shows up, I’m free,” he replied, knowing his soon-to-be wife was up to something.

“I’m here!” Shayera breathlessly announced as she rushed into the Monitor Womb.

“Good, you’re free,” Diana stated, swiftly jumping up and pulling the Batman up to his feet. “Let’s go.”

Diana shared a knowing look with Shayera as they passed by, their plan working perfectly. Exiting the Monitor Womb, Batman pulled Diana to an abrupt stop in the hallway, his expression one of complete suspicion.

“Ok, what’s up, Princess?” he asked, crossing his arms against his chest.

Diana immediately frowned with his question. She should’ve known he’d figure it out. “Why? What do you mean?” she nonchalantly asked. “Can’t I have lunch with my future husband?”

“Right,” he scowled in feigned belief in her words.

Bruce bit back a smirk as he gazed into those big beautiful blue eyes staring so naively back at him. Pure innocence radiated from his breathtaking princess, filling him with a wanton lust so powerful it was all he could do not to throw her over his shoulder and take her back to his quarters where he could ravage her senseless in private.

Unfortunately, he knew she had other plans for him…or actually “they” had plans for him, plans that he did not want to partake in for any reason whatsoever. The only reason he was even entertaining the idea of going was because of her and the hopeful expression that lit her gorgeous face.

He wanted to always be the one to put that look there, to be part of that joy that lit her eyes, not the cause of her sorrow which was why he was still standing here in the hallway talking to her and not sprinting for the nearest transportation pad.

His lips were pursed in a thin line as he watched her, fighting the intense urges surging through him right then, a hunger he’d have to satisfy later because Diana was obviously going to get her way now. He’d just have to get his way with her later.

Bruce drew a deep breath, steeling himself against what he was about to be subjected to. “Alright, you win,” he groused in his best disgruntled tone that he could muster, knowing the unhappier he was about it, the more she would try to make it up to him later.

“You’ll have a good time,” she told him, taking his gauntleted hand in hers and pressing her lips against his in a heated kiss that would’ve curled his toes if he hadn’t been wearing boots. “I promise.”

“You owe me,” he ground out, his earlier sense of amusement quickly vanishing. “Big.”

Leaning in, Diana whispered close to his ear, “When you’re done, come see me in my quarters. You’ll find I have another surprise waiting for you.”

Bruce groaned with her words, grabbing hold of her arms and pulling her in for another passionate kiss that left them both panting. “Why don’t we just skip the first surprise and go to your quarters for my second surprise?” he huskily asked, silently pleading for an answer that he knew was not coming.

“You don’t want to disappoint them,” she replied. “They’ve been working really hard on this ever since we…actually I…announced our engagement.”

“You’d think they’d know by now not to even bother,” he sighed heavily.

“They love you, Bruce,” she reminded him. “They consider you their friend and want to show you.”

Bruce frowned, knowing in his heart that she was right. They were as close to his friends as he’d ever had, Diana’s influence in his life helping him finally see that. He would endure whatever they had planned; knowing when it was finally over a very naked Diana would be waiting for him…or partially naked. 

Either way, it was going to end so much better than it was going to begin.

“Depending on how overboard Flash goes, you may have to make it up to me more than a couple of times so take rest up while I’m gone,” he smirked, leaning in and kissing the tip of her cute nose.

Diana smiled with his response. “I’ll be more than ready for you,” she teased. “But you may be the one needing the nap before you go out on patrol tonight by the time I’m done with you.”

Taking his hand, she began to pull him down the hallway along with her. “You’re making it more than difficult not to just take you back to your quarters right now,” he told her, his hungry gaze roaming over her backside, the legs that seemed to go on forever.

“The sooner you go and get it over with, the sooner you can join me,” she reminded him as she cast a smile back over her shoulder at him.

Batman growled low in his chest, pulling her back and into his arms, his waiting lips capturing hers once more before finally releasing her. “You know there are cameras all over the Watchtower recording you kissing me like this,” she murmured, a lustful look pervading her eyes.

“And I’m the only one who knows how to erase them,” he rasped as he dropped her off outside of her quarters.

“Have fun,” she laughed.

Batman only grunted as he turned away from her, every fiber of his being demanding he follow her inside her room instead. For her, though, he would endure this.

XXXX

Approaching the commissary, Bruce steeled himself for what he was about to endure. He knew this was going to eventually happen, but he had hoped that one of them would have had the good common sense to leave him alone and forego the obligatory bachelor’s party.

This was so not worth his time, but he knew that Flash would definitely believe otherwise, taking the given opportunity to humiliate him and inflict more suffering upon him. He decided that he must be losing his edge, his terrifying façade no longer working on Flash quite like it used to.

He knew that Clark would take Wally’s side in this, the Boy Scout with the heart of gold and fun-loving spirit jumping on the chance to build even more comradery among the League members. As his best friend, Bruce had somehow hoped that Clark would at least have shown some mercy on him, but that had obviously been wishful thinking on his part.

J’onn would was too quiet to interfere therefore his last shred of hope had been held in the reliable hands of the militant Green Lantern. Evidently, even he had seen the perceived necessity to further drag him kicking and screaming out of the dark shadows he clung to and into the bright spotlight that he so vehemently shunned at all cost.

But then he was reminded of the goddess who had managed to steal his heart; her warm stunning smile, the sparkling blue of her eyes, and that perfectly sculpted body and suddenly it didn’t seem quite so unbearable to endure this party. 

For his princess, he’d grit his teeth and endure this form of torture; his sights set on a different sort of torture…a pleasantly erotic form in the nature of a certain Amazonian Princess who would be waiting for him later.

Drawing a deep breath, Batman put on his most fierce expression, not about to let them think for one moment that they could get something like this past him. He may have to suffer through this festive gathering, but he wasn’t about to make it easy on them either.

Entering, he internally groaned at the loud strip-tease type music that immediately filled his ears, his body instinctively preparing to flee to save his life at all cost. Wally, John, Clark, and J’onn all stood with grins on their faces…well, Wally and Clark did. The other two came as close to a slight smile as they ever did as they noticed him finally enter.

“Surprise!” Wally screeched over the abrasive music that polluted the air of the commissary.

Clark immediately made a beeline for him, a goofy grin on his face as he stuck his hand out to him. “Congratulations, Batman,” he beamed as he shook his hand, a drink already in the other. “I never thought I’d be helping to throw a bachelor’s party for you, but I’m happy for you. You’re marrying an amazing woman.”

“Thank you,” Bruce tightly replied, shaking Clark’s hand as he repeatedly told himself over and over again that a naked Amazon was waiting for him in her quarters when this hell was finally over.

I knew we should have eloped, Bruce silently brooded to himself as the others approached, forming a semi-circle in front of him.

“Hey, Bats! Congrats, man!” Wally practically cheered as he suddenly appeared by the Batman’s side, suddenly slapping a party hat on top of his cowled head. 

Bruce could only imagine how absolutely ridiculous he looked at that moment – a ferocious scowl on his lips, his black menacing cowl meant to strike terror into the hearts of all adorning his head…and a red pointy party hat sitting between his black pointed bat ears, the thin white strap tucked firmly under his chin.

He was about two seconds away from detonating a bat bomb and escaping under the thick cover of smoke.

“Come on; smile, Bats!” Wally told him as he blew a party favor whistle at him, the end uncurling into his face. “It’s not every day the tall dark and gruesome Bat gets married especially to someone as hot and sexy as Wondy. By the way, if it doesn’t work out, can I have a shot at her?”

A low growl emanated from the Batman’s throat as he glowered at Wally who quickly threw both hands up in a gesture of self-defense. “I’m just saying you make a great couple,” he quickly amended. “And if for some reason she dumps your ass, I call dibs on her next.”

“Wally, you better stop before that whistle maker is uncurling from inside of your throat,” John warned him.

Bruce bit back a smirk. He could always count on the Green Lantern and his military training to know when Wally was one breath away from inhaling his last. “Come, cut your cake,” Clark quickly interceded before blood could be shed, grabbing his arm and dragging him over to a table.

“Please tell me this is almost over,” Batman tightly pleaded with Clark, keeping his voice low.

“No, but take heart,” Clark grinned, patting him on the back as he handed him a knife to cut the cake. “I finally talked Wally out of hiring you a stripper.”

“How’d you manage that?” Bruce snorted in amusement.

“I told him to picture Diana’s reaction to a stripper on her future husband’s lap,” Clark laughed. “You should have seen the way his expression changed from complete excitement to sheer terror within seconds.”

Batman chuckled despite himself, imaging the Wally’s reaction to such an image. An irate Amazon was rather sexy but also utterly deadly. “I can imagine,” he grunted.

“Come on, guys!” Wally cheered as he sprinted towards them. “Let’s get this party started!”

As the racy music grew louder, Bruce internally groaned, his mind taking him to a certain bed and the sexy woman who was eagerly waiting to turn this hellish nightmare into a mind-blowing fantasy come true.

“Why are you suddenly smiling like that?” Clark leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“You don’t want to know,” Batman murmured as he turned to see Flash begin to dance.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 9

Flying through the night, Batman landed lightly on the balls of his feet on top of a nearby building, his narrowed gaze constantly searching for the seen as well as the unseen. He was on a special mission tonight, one that could end in bodily harm if discovered.

He knew he shouldn’t be doing this, but he couldn’t help himself. If Diana found out, he’d be in definite, physical harming trouble again, but he was only looking out for her and the welfare of their baby…or at least that’s how he had rationalized it to himself.

When his fellow male teammates had decided to throw him a bachelor’s party, it had never once occurred to him that Diana would be having a bachelorette party as well. So, when she had told him this morning that she was going out with Shayera, Huntress, and Black Canary for her own party tonight, he had quite naturally had a small private panic attack.

Even now he tried to fight back the thick sense of fear and jealousy that instinctively rose in his throat and threatened to strangle him with the thought. He had successfully hunted down Hawkgirl this afternoon, cornering her and making her swear on her life to not go to any wild extremes tonight and to watch over Diana at all cost. 

He had even gone so far as to threaten to permanently clip the Thanigarian’s wings if anything happened to his future wife. Shayera had told him that he was overreacting and treating Diana as if she was nothing more than a fragile flower when in fact she was anything but. 

He had reminded Shayera of Diana’s proclivity for being a danger magnet at times, recalling the incident with Bizarro the other day. Bruce had also told her that someday when she was pregnant with John’s baby, the former Marine would no doubt be ten times worse than the way he himself was reacting now.

That had pretty much put an end to any more arguments on the Thanigarian’s part. It had caused her to walk away in bewilderment as well as growing anger as she pondered his words, her hands balled into fists as she stalked away no doubt in search of Green Lantern. 

He knew he should feel bad about stirring up an argument between the two love birds especially knowing that John was about to get blind-sided by the furious Thanagarian, but he didn’t care. He’d had bigger problems of his own at that moment – like a certain pregnant fiancée who was going out for the night.

Unfortunately, his mood had remained surly to say the least for the remainder of the day despite his little heart to heart talk with Hawkgirl. The numerous possibilities of the horrible things that could go wrong continued to run rampant in his brilliant yet warped mind.

He’d seen way too much over the years, had experienced far too much personal tragedy to remain cool, calm, and objective about this. And he knew it was only going to get worse after the baby was born. He’d have another loved one to be frantic about, a little one who was a part of him and Diana.

The only thing that had brought him the smallest amount of comfort was the fact that Diana was pregnant and therefore couldn’t drink tonight. He knew the Thanigarian’s physiology allowed her to drink enormous amounts of liquor with little effect. Somehow the Amazon wasn’t so fortunate when it came to alcohol.

Still, the idea alone of those three women taking his princess to a male strip club to dance and slip dollar bills in the g-string of some beefcake named Mr. Big had him seeing red as well as turning him every shade of green with jealousy.

Even though having been in Man’s World for some time now, Diana had still managed to maintain a certain naivety to her that was endearing as well as sexy as hell. He never wanted her to lose that sweet underlying innocence that he loved so much, that had first attracted him to her.

He never wanted Diana to become tainted or corrupted by the dark bleakness that consumed and twisted his world, molding him into the abrasive emotionally stunted man that he was today. She had steadily been healing the numerous scars of his heart, slowly changing him. Her light was beginning to banish the thick blanket of cobwebs that occupied his soul, infusing it instead with her warmth and love.

And because of her influence on him, he’d actually managed to survive his own bachelor’s party yesterday, maybe going so far as to admit to himself that he may have even enjoyed it…to a certain point.

If anyone would ask, though, Batman swore he’d deny it to his grave, but it had turned out to be somewhat bearable. The food had actually been quite good, the alcohol better, but the best part had awaited him in Wonder Woman’s private quarters.

Batman paused at the thought, his lips parting slightly to release a ragged breath of remembrance of last evening spent in her bed. Just when he thought it couldn’t get any better, any more passionate or heart pounding, Diana always managed to prove him so very wrong.

And then she had pulled him into that steamy shower with her. The things that Amazon could do with a washcloth and a bar of soap…

So what if he smelled of jasmine when he had left last night to begin his patrol of Gotham. If any man had just experienced the pleasures that he had just been subjected to by her, they would have all officially agreed that jasmine was the most masculine scent in less than a heartbeat.

Crouching low, Batman forced himself to focus once more on the task at hand, shoving aside his growing arousal, knowing she’d be coming this way any minute. He quickly caught site of his prey…his beautiful Princess walking down the street in the company of three other women, one with wings.

Diana was wearing a red strapless party dress that he knew he’d definitely never seen before, causing him to clench his jaw in instant jealousy. Her dress was definitely far too short, not much more material to it than her uniform he readily decided.

Her raven hair fell in curly waves down her back and caressed her bare shoulders…shoulders that he loved to kiss and tease with his lips and tongue. She wore red stiletto heels that only seemed to make her legs look longer if that was even possible.

To say that she looked sexy would’ve been an understatement. Even being the great detective that he was, he never would’ve been able to describe what the other three women were wearing at that moment, his attention so completely captivated by her.

He watched as they neared a dance club that was a famous hot spot in Gotham for rowdy party-goers as well as men looking to hook up with someone for the night. He crossed his arms against his chest as his anger roiled deep within him, his frown only deepening with every step they took.

A car suddenly passed by then, three men hanging out the windows, whistling cat-calls and yelling lewd comments at them. Diana covered her mouth and giggled at the attention they were garnering in that innocent I-have-no-idea-why-they-just-did-that way about her. She turned to Black Canary and said something that caused her to laugh as well.

His entire body was rigid, every muscle coiled tightly in irritation. Everything inside of him wanted to swoop down there and sweep her off her stilettos, whisking her back to the safety of the Manor, but he knew she’d never forgive him for doing that to her. Still, he found the idea more than tempting.

But then he paused to look at her again…forcing himself to really look at his lover. He noticed the way that her beautiful face practically glowed, her smile radiant and filled with such happiness that it caused the corners of the Batman’s mouth to twitch despite his dark petulant mood. 

Seeing her happy somehow made him happy, lightening his heart in a way that he had never expected. Despite his own deep personal struggles and “rich kid” issues, he never wanted to be the one to steal that happiness away from her.

He watched as everyone’s eyes were locked on the four women as they passed the crowds lingering outside, hopeful and waiting for a chance to get in. The large bouncer whose name was no doubt Bubba quickly allowed the women entrance the second he recognized Shayera and Diana. 

Batman waited for several long unbearable minutes after they had gone inside the club, feeling a migraine beginning to come on. Finally swinging across the street with his usual agility, he silently descended on the roof of the night club like vengeance incarnate should anyone do anything to harm his future wife.

He silently moved towards the skylight as stealthily as the shifting shadows themselves that surrounded him. The roof practically shook with the blaring music emanating from below, the pounding beat vibrating through his chest.

He peered over the edge of the skylight, immediately spotting a set of wings already dancing beside his raven haired beauty, the Huntress and Black Canary rounding up drinks. Men were flocking to them, creating a circle around them for just a chance to…

He growled to himself. He’d rather not even think about it.

Whatever it was they had in mind as they leered so hungrily at Diana would only lead to a broken skylight and broken bodies littering the street if he continued down that trail of thinking.

The song suddenly ended, the earsplitting beat of Lady Gaga filling the night air as the words to “Do What You Want with My Body” reached his ears, the words of the song causing him to grind his teeth almost to the point of cracking them as his gauntleted hands curled into fists bent on destruction.

Men began to holler and cheer as the ladies energetically danced to the song that was making his blood boil like hot lava in his veins, some of them going so far as to try to cop a feel of his bride and Hawkgirl. He watched with pride as Diana and Shayera swiftly shoved them away, Huntress and Black Canary helping to fend off the hungry savages.

The scene playing out below hi was swiftly becoming too much to endure as every men with a pulse tried to hit on them especially his future wife. Didn’t Gotham already know that Wonder Woman was marrying Bruce Wayne in two more days? 

And if they didn’t, the enormous rock on her left hand ring finger should’ve been a dead give-away to anyone with half a brain that she obviously belonged to someone with enough money to commit murder and be able to get away with it.

His ear piece suddenly sounded just then, interrupting his tortured thoughts. “Batman…come in.”

“What?” he snarled, definitely louder than he had intended.

Dead silence followed for a couple of heartbeats before Nightwing finally responded, his tone cautious. “Um…Robin and I could use a little help over here at the Gotham Jewelry store. Something big is going down. Could use some back up if you’re available.”

Damn. “I’ll be right there,” he snapped. “Batman out.”

Shooting his grappling gun, he took the time for one last glance at his lover, the sight of her looking so sexy turning him on despite the jealous rage that was quickly propelling him to do something he knew he would not regret later.

The downside to being forced to leave was that he couldn’t stay and keep track of Diana. The upside was that he could actually release a measure of his building aggression and frustration on some poor saps that had picked the wrong night to cross him. 

At least it would help keep him from popping a blood vessel in his brain…unlike the situation playing out below which was making his blood pressure soar.

XXX

Batman pulled into the Batcave, relieved to finally be home. After thwarting the attempted robbery at the jewelry store with Dick and Tim, he’d managed to apprehend a rapist as well as stop two purse snatchers and a car thief. 

The busy night’s activities had helped take his mind off of Diana, releasing a measure of his frustration. Now that he was home, though, he was anxious to see his bride, to hold her close in his arms and savor the feel of her skin pressed against his before falling asleep with her by his side. It was something he’d grown accustomed to, something he found he didn’t want to live without.

Exiting the Batmobile, Bruce began stripping off his uniform as he checked the clock again. It was four-thirty in the morning. He hoped that Diana had been able to wait up for him.

Taking a quick shower, he pulled on some sweatpants and a t-shirt before heading upstairs into the Manor, finding the house completely quiet. He took the stairs two steps at a time, a smile threatening to form as he neared his bedroom, thankful that the nightmare of these pre-wedding parties was finally over.

He could hardly wait to marry Diana, to finally settle down into some semblance of a life together before the baby actually arrived. And he was growing more anxious with every passing day for their baby to come, to see the little wonder that they had made together.

He was actually considering taking a few nights off from his duties as Batman in order to spend some time with Diana and the baby after it was born. He had never dreamed that someone could actually make him consider cutting back on his nightly duty to Gotham, willing to allow Nightwing and Robin to take on more responsibilities in order to be the husband and parent that Diana and their baby needed.

He knew that Diana would understand, would never force him to give up the cape and cowl for her. At the same time, he already knew in his heart that for her he would do anything, give up everything. He was just relieved he wasn’t forced to make that choice yet.

Reaching his bedroom, Bruce opened the door, silently slipping inside only to find the room empty. He froze with fear as he stared at the still made bed that had obviously not been slept in, Diana nowhere in sight.

His mind immediately began to race with worst-case scenarios of what could have possibly happened to her, his heart already hammering with those same tormented thoughts that suddenly made him nauseous. 

He forced himself to remember that Diana could handle herself, able to crush a semi as if it was nothing more than a tin can. Glancing at the clock with a scowl on his lips, he noticed it was after five o’clock now. 

His anger quickly rose sharply in proportion with his alarm. She should have been home hours ago. Why couldn’t she have just had a nice quiet party like he’d had within the safe confines of the Watchtower?

He knew he was going to have to get a firm grip on his dark paranoid tendencies, his overwhelming need to control every situation or he’d never survive this pregnancy or married life to an Amazon. He decided he’d start working on it tomorrow after he knew that Diana was safe.

Just as he was about to race down to the Batcave to go search for her, Bruce suddenly caught a glimpse of her gracefully landing on the balcony of their bedroom, her red stiletto heels clicking softly against the stone balcony floor. She opened the doors and entered, a sheepish smile growing as she noticed him standing there in the middle of the bedroom with a look of panic on his face.

“Morning,” she greeted him as she made her way towards him still wearing that killer red dress and heels that made her the same height as him.

“Where have you been?” he sternly demanded with a deep frown, trying to fight back the arousal pumping through him at the site of her alone.

“I was out with the girls,” she replied with a coy half-smile, her teeth slowly raking over her bottom lip.

“All night?” he pressed, folding his arms defiantly against his chest as if trying to keep his body from responding to her…as if that was ever possible. “Where did you go? What did you do?”

“We just went dancing,” she chuckled softly at his tirade of questions, coming to a stop before him, her hand coming to rest gently against his chest.

She slowly slid her arms around him, kissing him softly before burying her face in the crook of his neck. She felt him relax ever so subtly, a small measure of the tension teeming in his body beginning to vanish. She knew that he was upset that she was just getting home, but she hadn’t done anything wrong.

His arms automatically snaked around her despite his anger, the feel of her safe in his arms again easing his heart. “So what was his name?” he rasped.

“Mean Dean Sex Machine,” she teased, her fingernails lightly tracing his chiseled muscles that lay beneath his gray cotton t-shirt. “He was an amazing…dancer.”

Bruce bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing or cursing, he didn’t know which at that point. He did know that she was trying to get a rise out of him. “Really?” he continued the charade. “Better than me?”

There was a long moment of silence as she continued to seductively trace his pectorals, reawakening a fiery need within him that could never be fully quenched. Her lips suddenly brushed against his jaw, nibbling and kissing her way to his ear.

“No one is ever better than you, Bruce…not even Mean Dean,” came her sultry reply that sent ripples of desire racing through him, her mouth slowly teasing his earlobe.

His eyes fell closed as an arrogant grin threatened to form, his lips parting as a soft groan escaped. “Good answer, Princess,” he gasped as his hands roamed over her back before firmly grasping her bottom to prove his point. “And why haven’t I seen this sexy little dress before tonight?”

Diana giggled as she kissed the sensitive spot behind his ear. “It was another one of my surprises for you for when I came home tonight.”

“But Mean Dean got to see it first,” he gruffly reminded her, his lips finding her throat. 

“Jealous?” she asked as she tilted her head, giving him more access to her.

“Extremely,” he murmured.

“I’m surprised you didn’t come through the skylight at the night club tonight,” she replied with a smirk, chuckling softly when his lips suddenly paused against her throat. He’d been caught.

Bruce straightened up to look her in the eye, the mischief shining brightly there in those ocean blue depths causing his fire to burn hotter. “You knew?” he asked, stunned.

Diana savored this extraordinary moment, loving the fact that she had surprised the infamous Batman. “Bruce, I know you better than I have ever known anyone in my entire life…and that’s a very long time,” she reminded him. “You may be an enigma to everyone else, but not to me. Whether you like it or not, we share a piece of the same soul now.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Princess,” he softly told her as he brushed her raven hair away from her face, his lips finally finding hers in a heated kiss as he lifted her up into his arms and carried her to their waiting bed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 10

Diana stood staring at her appearance in the full length mirror before her, her heart and mind racing with so many thoughts and emotions. It all felt so surreal to her as she studied her image, hoping that Bruce would find her beautiful when he finally saw her. 

She could hardly believe this day was finally here, the one that she had dared to hope for soon becoming a reality. She lightly ran her fingers over her dress, nervous flutters filling her stomach as she pictured his reaction. 

She didn’t know why she would be so nervous. She was marrying the man she loved, the one that she had pursued and fought so hard for, battling his demons and countless issues to get inside to the man hidden beneath layers and layers of deprecation and cold detachment.

But she had persevered and won, finding a love of a lifetime in Bruce.

“Diana, you look gorgeous.”

Diana turned to find Shayera standing behind her, dressed in a champagne colored gown that accentuated her feminine curves. With her wings, she truly looked like an angel fallen from the skies. 

“I hope Bruce thinks so,” she replied, looking back at her image in the mirror once more, wanting everything to be perfect.

“That man is so head-over-heels in love with you, Di,” Shayera told her. “You could wear a paper sack and he’d still be drooling all over himself to marry you.”

Diana smiled with her words. She had always loved the way that Bruce looked at her, the fire that seemed to ignite there when their eyes met – the lust, the passion, the love and respect. Many men had looked at her since arriving in Man’s World, but never quite the same way that Bruce always did.

“Have you seen my mother?” Diana suddenly asked.

“No, I haven’t seen her,” Shayera shook her head with a frown. “Do you really think she’ll come? She was pretty upset about it when she found out you were pregnant with his baby and marrying him.”

“I still hoped that she would come,” she softly said. “She had accepted it before she left even going so far as to give her blessing in her own way.”

Shayera came up behind her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “She still might come, Di.”

Diana nodded her head, drawing a deep breath. “Have you seen Bruce?”

“Yes,” she said with a sudden roll of her eyes. “He’s as surly as ever.”

“What?” Diana turned, stunned by her response. “But this is our wedding day. He’s supposed to be happy…or at least as close as he comes to showing happiness. Hasn’t he even cracked the slightest smile?”

“I’m afraid not,” Hawkgirl shook her head. “Alfred said that he’s a nervous wreck and this is just how he shows it. Evidently, it’s he shows all of his emotions with a snarl. I’d hate to see him happy.”

“What does he have to be nervous about?” the Amazon frowned. “This is his wedding day, not his funeral…although it could be if he does anything to mess this up.”

“What could he possibly do to ruin it?” she asked.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Diana threw up her hands in exasperation. “Maybe lock himself down in his Batcave… fake some dire emergency in Gotham…feign a heart attack. You never know with that man and his paranoid tendencies.”

“Diana, he loves you and he wants to marry you,” Shayera reminded her. “I doubt he’s going to try to escape now. Besides, you’re carrying his baby. He obviously wants to build a life with you.”

“I know,” she said with a frustrated sigh as she moved to stand before the window. “I guess I’m just nervous myself. I just want everything to be perfect.”

She parted the curtains to look down on the beautiful garden in full bloom outside of the manor. Guests were gathering to mingle and chat as they waited for the ceremony to begin, but Bruce was nowhere in sight.

Most of their friends were down there, probably all betting on whether or not the recluse Dark Knight would really go through with it or not. Her stomach lurched with the thought. He wouldn’t do that to her for fear of penalty of death. 

He might be evasive and try to push her away at times, but she knew that he truly loved her and would never try to hurt her. It was just her nerves getting the best of her, her emotions running rampant. She hadn’t seen Bruce since last evening and it had left her somewhat on edge, wondering if he’d somehow performed one of his infamous disappearing acts.

Alfred had reassured her that it was considered bad luck for the groom to see his bride before the wedding and had exiled Bruce to the opposite side of the manor for safe keeping. She thought it sounded completely ludicrous, but decided to go along with it since she was in Man’s World. After all, they were having a Man’s wedding ceremony as was the custom here. 

Besides, there was no sense pressing her luck now that she was so close to marrying the man who had initially fought this relationship at every turn. She was just relieved that he had finally come to his senses before she’d had to beat it into him. Why had it been so hard for him in the beginning to admit what had been developing between them?

A sudden knock at the door pulled the Amazon Princess from her thoughts. “Miss Diana?” Alfred called. “It’s time.”

“I’m ready,” she called. “Is Bruce?”

“Yes, Miss,” Alfred replied through the door. “A bundle of nerves I must say, but more than anxious to marry you.”

Diana smiled softly. “I’m afraid he’s not alone,” she told him. 

Alfred smiled to himself with her response. He’d never met two people more meant for each other than these two. “It will be fine, Miss Diana. I promise,” he reassured her. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

“Ready?” Shayera asked her.

“I’ve been ready for this for months now,” Diana told her as she picked up her bouquet.

XXX

Bruce paced impatiently in the guest room that Alfred had set up for him to get ready for the wedding. He hadn’t seen Diana since before going out on patrol last night much to her dismay. She hadn’t wanted him look as though he’d fought Hades himself when he showed up for their wedding day.

He had promised her he’d be careful, but had wanted to follow up on a few things before leaving for their honeymoon. Being gone for any length of time was more than difficult for him, but he found himself more than anxious to leave this time.

Dick and Tim had promised along with Huntress and Black Canary that they would watch over Gotham while he was gone as long as he promised not to contact them at all during his honeymoon. That had actually been an easy promise to make seeing how he would have a gorgeous naked Amazon all to himself for a whole week.

Bruce paused to peer out a nearby window, releasing a ragged breath as he took count of who had arrived so far. Thankfully, Diana had agreed on a rather small ceremony shared with their closest friends. 

Of course, the world would receive a completely different story in a couple of weeks, written by him and reported by Clark. It would be released to the press that Bruce Wayne had finally wed the former Princess of Themyscira in a secret private ceremony in Fiji.

Bruce suddenly turned at the sound of the door opening, Tim and Dick both entering dressed in their formal tuxes. They were both wearing grins that spoke of their happiness for their adopted father, but also taking great pleasure in his obvious discomfort.

It wasn’t every day they got to see the formidable, unflappable man being kept off balance especially by a woman. Of course, Diana wasn’t just any woman. She was the only one who could match the Dark Knight step for step and go toe-to-toe with him without incurring any serious damage.

“What are you two grinning about?” Bruce coolly asked as he resumed his pacing, his hands shoved into his pants pockets.

“Just you,” Tim chuckled as he watched his surrogate father.

“What about me?” he frowned, pausing in his step to stare at them.

“You just look like…nervous,” Dick ventured, his grin broadening. “It’s not something we’re used to seeing in you. It’s a little unnerving.”

“Yah, you’re always so calm and composed,” Tim agreed. “You look like you’re going to your own hanging.”

“I’m fine,” he curtly replied. “I’m just ready to get this done.”

“It’s not a business deal, Bruce,” Dick shook his head in amazement. “You’re supposed to be marrying the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with.”

“I know that,” he snapped. “I just don’t want anything to go wrong.”

“What could possibly happen?” Tim asked, surprised. “You have a garden full of superheroes waiting out there. I highly doubt anything is going to go wrong today.”

“Besides, the only people who know the wedding is happening this afternoon are all here,” Dick chimed in. “I doubt Two-Face is suddenly going to realize that you’re the Batman and show up at your front door.”

“I just don’t want anything to ruin this day for Diana,” he admitted in a rare glimpse into his inner thoughts and worries. “She deserves nothing but the very best and I want to make sure she gets that.”

Dick and Tim looked at each, sharing a knowing glance. Their father was truly devoted to the Amazon Princess, desperately in love with her. They had never seen him quite like this before. It was still somewhat astonishing to witness. 

“Well, you won’t have to wait any longer,” Dick told him. “Alfred sent us up here to get you. It’s time.”

Bruce curtly nodded his head, drawing a deep breath. He was about to make an exiled Amazon Princess his forever and he couldn’t be happier despite the nervous flutter in the pit of his stomach. Only she had ever been able to have such an effect on him like this, keeping him on his toes and off balance at every turn.

Why did he feel more comfortable facing off against Bane than he did allowing those around him to see that he was hopelessly in love with such an amazing woman? 

XXX

Standing in the sunroom of the manor, Diana heard the soft strains of violins begin to play a classical piece that she and Alfred had decided on, signaling it was time for her to finally make her appearance.

Clutching her bouquet of red roses that Alfred had arranged with flowers taken from Martha’s rose garden, Diana began to make her way outside, the bright afternoon sunlight enveloping her as she emerged from the shadows. She held her head high, her every movement exuding regality and supreme grace.

She watched as their guests stood to their feet as she drew near, her eyes falling on the site of her mother standing at the front and to the left with Shayera. It brought tears to her eyes to see that her mother had come to her wedding, accepting her decision to marry a man.

Diana quickly forced those tears away as she began to make her up the center aisle. Everyone turned to stare at her as she walked by, their attention focused on her while her gaze was locked on Bruce waiting for her under the archway.

She felt her heart leap into her throat at the site of him standing there waiting for her as everyone else seemed to just fall away. He looked so handsome in his black tux, his hands clasped in front of him as he waited patiently for her, his piercing blue eyes completely on her and her alone.

Despite the tight set of his chiseled jaw, the stoic expression on his face, there was a hint of smile on his lips. To his left, Dick and Tim stood looking as dashing as ever, showing their support for their surrogate father and the woman that he had chosen to bring into their family.

She’d never had a family quite like this, one that included men, but she was deeply honored that they had been so very accepting of her, welcoming her as if she had always belonged there.

Diana missed all the murmured gasps as all eyes fell on her, the smiles that adorned their friends’ faces. She missed Clark and Lois, John, Wally, and J’onn sitting in the front row. She missed noticing Alfred and Dr. Leslie sitting in the front row on the groom’s side. She never saw Ollie and Dinah or Helena, Zantanna and Barbara or any of the other guests who had come to wish them well.

She was far too consumed with the man she was about to marry, the look of love and admiration that permeated his blue depths. She smiled softly at him as she came to a stop before him, pleased that he seemed to like what he saw.

Staring into her eyes, Bruce reached down and took her free hand in his. “You look…so beautiful,” he whispered, completely enraptured by her and seemingly forgetting about all the eyes that were intently watching them.

“You look very handsome,” she softly replied.

Time seemed to come to standstill as they just stared at one another. Bruce had completely forgotten how to breathe when he had first seen her coming towards him. Dressed in a white Grecian style one-shoulder gown, she had looked the epitome of a true Greek goddess.

Her hair was pulled up on the sides; raven curls framed her face and flowed down her back in a dark waterfall. She carried a small bouquet of red roses that had no doubt come from his mother’s rose garden.

He could scarcely remember any of the idiotic reasons that he had come up with to keep himself from ever pursuing a life with her. None of that mattered any more, the so-called rationale paling mightily in the light of Diana’s beauty and love that belonged to him now.

Nothing mattered to him but her.

They barely heard the words being spoken over them as they lost themselves in one another. Diana had barely managed to catch the justice of the peace saying something about anyone having any objections to this union, causing her to cast a very heated glare at their guests as if challenging them to even open their mouths.

No one dared to even breathe in that long tense moment of silence for fear the deadly Amazon warrior would tear them apart for interfering in their happiness. They knew how hard fought this relationship had been for them.

Bruce bit back a smile with her threatening glare, hoping that no one uttered a single word. Not only would they have an enraged Amazon to deal with, but an irate Bat as well. And if a certain feline guest decided to say something, Bruce was more than prepared to personally throw her out.

While something that he had never dreamed would ever be meant for him, Bruce found himself wanting this more than he had wanted anything in his entire life. 

They released a collective sigh of relief as the minister continued with the ceremony, Bruce gently squeezing Diana’s hand in reassurance. Reciting their vows, they both promised to love and respect each other above all else as they slipped wedding bands on each other’s fingers.

As the minister began to pronounce them husband and wife, Bruce’s lips were already capturing hers in a slow passionate kiss, his hand cupping her cheek as he lost himself in that kiss that sealed their vows to one another.

Everyone cheered as they kissed; a loud howling cat-call coming from the Flash that was easily heard above all the others. Diana blushed, pulling back from the kiss when she wanted so much more. Finally turning to face their friends, she suddenly caught site of Selina Kyle sitting towards the back, causing her to squeeze Bruce’s hand tightly in instant jealous anger.

Frowning from the sudden pain in his hand, Bruce gave her a confused glance as they began to walk down the aisle. “You invited her?” she hissed low enough for him to hear, her smile now being forced through clenched teeth as she nodded to their friends.

“I had no choice,” he murmured. “I wanted her to know in no uncertain terms that I was in love with you so she wouldn’t try anything. She said she wanted to come to the wedding to wish us well.”

“You could have told her no,” Diana angrily spat out.

Bruce quickly pulled his new bride aside into a private alcove away from prying eyes so he could explain. “Diana, we’re just friends…nothing more,” he firmly said. “Whatever happened between Selina and me in the past is just that – the past. You are my present and my future. You’re the only one that I want, only one that I love.”

He pulled her into a heated kiss, letting her know exactly what he thought about her in that dress and hinting at things to come. She finally melted into his arms, returning his kiss with equal passion. She wasn’t about to let Selina Kyle ruin her wedding day no matter how much she hated the woman.

Retreating for air, Diana closed her eyes as she rested her forehead against his. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I just…when I saw her here I…”

“It’s alright,” he told her, silencing her with a kiss. “You have no idea how many times I’ve been jealous over men who have leered at you or the way Wally always flirted with you. He’s just lucky his legs are still attached.”

Diana chuckled softly with his confession. “I love you, Bruce Wayne,” she whispered, kissing him again.

“And I love you, Mrs. Wayne,” he replied, taking her hand in his. 

“Well, we survived our first argument as a married couple,” she sighed. “Should be downhill from here.”

“I thought we handled that very well,” he agreed with a broad smile that Diana loved and hoped to see more often in the future. “Now, let’s go greet our guests so I can whisk you away from here and have my way with you.”

“I still have no idea where we’re going,” she reminded him as he led her back out to their guests.

“That’s the idea, Princess,” he replied with a self-satisfied smirk. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Bruce felt Diana instantly tense beside them as Selina made her way to them. He tightened his hold on his wife’s hand, silently reassuring her. “Thank you for coming Selina,” he politely greeted her.

“I’m truly happy for the both of you,” she smiled, her attention lingering on Bruce far too long for Diana’s liking.

“Yes, thank you for coming,” Diana graciously said. “You look lovely, Selina.”

“Thank you,” she beamed, her attention returning to the Batman, slowly dragging a finger down the front of his tux. “Bruce always loved seeing me in this dress.”

Bruce internally shuddered, realizing just how huge of a mistake this truly had been. “Selina, if you’ll excuse us, we have more guests to greet,” Bruce curtly replied, leading Diana away before she could physically harm the Catwoman.

“You owe me big for that, Mr. Wayne,” Diana whispered low in his ear.

Bruce smirked with her words. “I plan on making it up to you tonight,” he softly replied, turning to kiss her deeply. “Again…and again…and again.”

“That’s a definite start,” she smiled in return. “I will tell you this, though. If Selina ever touches you again, I will not hesitate to break her arm. No one touches my husband.”

Diana released her hold on his hand to great Barbara Gordon, leaving Bruce to ponder her words. He felt a hot flush suddenly roil through him. An angry jealous Amazon was a definite turn on. He readily decided that the honeymoon could not come soon enough.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 11

Standing on the balcony of their suite, Diana drew a deep breath, absorbing the warm evening air. She could barely grasp the dazzling view that spread out before her, the millions of twinkling lights that felt as if she could just reach out and grasp hold of them. 

It felt just like yesterday since she was last here and yet it seemed so far away, a distant beautiful memory. At the time, she never would have guessed she’d be here now, married to the man who had captured her heart on a dance floor.

She sighed as she felt arms carefully snake around her body, his tantalizing masculine scent filling her senses and thrilling her soul. His mouth quickly sought out her neck as his hands came to rest possessively around her waist. One hand cupped the small bump that was his child growing within her, causing his mouth to curve into a proud smile as he kissed her throat.

“Enjoying the view?” he murmured as he slowly sucked and teased her sensitive skin and earning a low moan for his efforts.

“It’s perfect,” she murmured, her hand coming up to rake her fingers through his hair as she leaned her head back against his shoulder in total contentment. “The Eiffel Tower is so beautiful lit up at night.”

“It’s not nearly as beautiful as you, Princess,” he softly replied against her throat.

Diana gasped softly, her lips curling with his words. “Are you saying that because you want something in particular, Mr. Wayne?”

“Just paying off my debts,” he reminded her with a soft chuckle. “You told me I owed you big for inviting Selina to our wedding so I thought I better start right away. I can’t have an unhappy Amazon bride on my hands on our honeymoon.”

His hand slid down her dress to the hem, his fingers skating up to caress her bare thigh. He adored her legs, the strength she possessed in them, so soft to the touch and yet so powerful when locked securely around his waist.

His other hand swept her hair aside as he kissed along the delicate dip of her collarbone, nipping and soothing the sting with his lips and tongue. Damn, she was the epitome of perfection and she was all his now…forever…or as long as there was breath in his body.

It pained him to know he would die and leave her someday, wishing that he could truly be with her forever and yet he took joy in the fact that she wouldn’t die…as long as he fought to keep her safe. And he would. For her, he would gladly give up his life.

“Bruce?” Diana called his name, breaking his reverie.

He paused as she suddenly turned around to face him, concern reflecting in her eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked, sensing a subtle change in his mood.

“Nothing,” he frowned.

Diana tilted her head in disbelief. “Try again.”

“I was just thinking how you’re all mine now for as long as I live,” he confessed, his arms circling her again, pulling her firmly against him.

“Which isn’t as long as me,” she finished the thought for him.

“Yes,” he sighed with a nod of his head, cupping her face with his hand. “But I’d rather be just a mere mortal man than to try to live without you.”

“And you think that it’ll be easy for me to just bury you and go on with my life as if you never meant anything to me?” she asked, suddenly hurt.

“No, Princess,” he shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. It’s just you’re stronger than any of us…even Clark…even me. If anyone can go on after a loss, it’s you, Diana. You’ve always been the heart and soul of the League, holding the rest of us together.

“Besides, I’m sure you’ll probably find someone much more tolerable and a hell of a lot easier to deal with in your second husband than me.”

Bruce watched as tears abruptly glistened in her blue eyes just before she swiftly pushed him away from her. “Don’t even say anything like that, Bruce,” she snapped, her anger rising along with her tears. “I gave my heart to you and when you die, it will die with you…and then I’ll be all alone.”

“Diana, I…” he began, trying desperately to explain.

“Don’t you realize that I will not only outlive you, but possibly our children too?” she cried. “Just because I was granted immortality doesn’t mean our children will be immortal as well. Do you think I’ll want to even live after you’re gone…after our children are gone someday?

“Immortality is not a gift, it’s a curse when you are forced to stand by and watch everyone around you die. If I could, I’d give it up in heartbeat just so I could grow old with you, to die with you in your arms someday.”

She stared at him for a long moment, the stunned expression on his face telling her that he hadn’t considered their children might be mortal or how difficult it would be once he was gone. She suddenly tried to walk past him to enter their suite, but a firm hand on her arm said otherwise, bringing her to an abrupt stop.

Before she could speak, Bruce swiftly pulled her back into his arms, his lips hungry against hers as he pinned her up against the wall, her words heating his blood all over again. In his effort to lighten the mood, he had inadvertently upset her, but in the process had realized the true depths of her love for him and it staggered his mind.

His tongue was so insistent, his kiss so heated she could barely think straight as he plundered her mouth. The tears ceased in the wake of her rekindling desire for him, returning his kiss with equal passion as she began to pull his dress shirt from his slacks. She wanted more and she wanted him now.

He was like a wild animal unleashed as he devoured her, his passion exploding as he kissed and touched her. Her anger and hurt was quickly forgotten in the wake of his love for her, feeling guilty for having overreacted again.

He finally retreated for much needed air, panting heavily and his blue eyes darkening with lust and love. “Diana, I love you more than I have ever loved anyone,” he breathlessly confessed to her. “And I know you love me just as deeply…because it was your love that saved me.”

Diana smiled softly as she stared into his eyes. “We just had our second fight as a married couple and we survived it,” she pointed out. “I think we’re getting good at this.”

A roguish smile suddenly spread across his face. “Making up after an argument with you has always been my favorite part you know.”

“We do make up very well, don’t we?” she grinned wickedly, leaning in to nibble on his bottom lip. “I think it was during one of those make up sessions that the baby was made.”

Bruce groaned with her teasing, leaning down and scooping the Amazon up into his arms. He carried her back inside of their suite, setting her feet down near the bed, his hands already working to undress her as he kissed her again.

He planted a trail of hot wet kisses against her throat, following his fingers along her collarbone to her shoulder as he slid her dress off. He was more than anxious to show her just how deep his love for her ran, to apologize for upsetting her again.

Diana gripped at his shoulders as his lips descended down her body to her breasts, her head falling back as a sharp gasp of pleasure tore through her. Her hands quickly slid up into his hair, gripping it firmly as she held him against her, thanking Hera all over again for allowing her to have this incredible man in her life.

She knew deep down that it wasn’t always going to be like this, that there were going to be nights where she’d be lucky to see him at all due to his responsibilities to Gotham and his need to protect its people as well as their League duties.

But she loved him nonetheless and understood that deep innate need better than anyone. She would take the time that she could spend with him and savor every single second of it, making it as passionate and special as possible for them.

Needing to taste him again, Diana roughly pulled him up to kiss him again as each worked to remove the rest of their clothing, knowing they weren’t going to make to the bed yet as he pulled her down to the floor with him. The need to lose themselves to each other was too demanding to ignore any longer.

The jet ride had been tortuously long as they had kissed and touched and fondled, trying desperately to keep from losing control until they had reached their destination. Now that they were finally here, there was nothing holding them back.

Bruce swiftly lifted her onto his lap, craving the feel of her wet heat welcoming him inside of her, enveloping him and gripping at him. It was like come home every single time, connecting with the other half of his soul.

Diana took him inside her with a breathless moan, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she settled over him. They paused, pressing their foreheads against each other as they savored that amazing moment of first connection before their bodies took over and began to move out of that overwhelming need for more, for that sweet release together.

Bruce moaned her name as she slowly began to move, setting a tortuously slow pace, his fingers kneading her hips in a silent beseeching request for more. His mouth moved to her chest, teasing and suckling, tugging and nipping at her breasts and causing her to arch her back as he began to lose himself in the amazing goddess that was now his wife.

He slowly stroked up her back moist with sweat, his hands splaying over the smooth expanse of skin as he pulled her even closer still, worshiping her as his hips rocked in time with her slow sensual movement.

He tilted his head up, desperate to taste her again only to find her ocean blue eyes hazy with building rapture intently staring at him as she continued to rise and fall over him. The depths of love he saw swimming there for him both stunned and further aroused him, all forms of coherent thought suddenly lost in that moment of connection.

His lips swiftly captured hers as he buried his hands in her thick ebony hair, ravishing her lips as he quickly turned and laid her on the floor. He took control, unable to hold back any longer as he began pumping into her with wild abandon.

His mouth found her ear, whispering his love for her as she suddenly came beneath him, her fingernails clawing at his back and leaving her mark. He arched his back, hissing with pain mingled with intense pleasure that ripped through him as he came as well, emptying himself deep within her.

Diana held his trembling body, kissing along his jaw as she sought to catch the breath she had just stolen from him. They kissed slowly, enjoying the sense of love that surrounded them in that intimate moment.

“I’m so glad I finally caught you,” she breathed as he rolled them onto their sides to face one another, their bodies still tangled as one.

“You caught me only because I let you catch me,” Bruce replied, brushing her hair away from her face.

Diana rolled her eyes with his response. “Whatever,” she shot back, amused. “You were running the opposite direction until I finally forced you to take a chance on me.”

“That’s not quite the way I remember it,” he murmured as he kissed and nuzzled her neck.

“And how exactly do you remember it?” she chuckled softly, her curiosity piqued.

“I had a feeling I knew what you were up to so I lowered the security settings in the Batcave, allowing you to transport in that night,” he revealed to her, his lips barely pausing their heated assault. “It worked. You showed up looking sexy as ever, demanding I at least give us a chance to see if we could make it work.”

Stunned by his revelation, Diana pulled back to look at him. “You did not!” she gasped.

“Afraid so,” he arrogantly smirked at her.

“How could you have known I was coming that night?” she asked, still incredulous. “I wasn’t even sure I was going to until later that day.”

“I know you, Princess,” he told her. “I could see it in your eyes at our League meeting that morning. You get this determined look in your eyes when you finally make up your mind about something you want and I knew that it was me you were coming after.”

“You are impossible,” she shook her head in exasperation.

“I know, but you love me anyway,” he grinned, kissing her fully. “Besides, you did capture me in a way otherwise I never would’ve let you in if I wasn’t already falling for you.”

Diana thought about it for a long moment. “How hard did Selina have to work to capture you?” she finally asked. It was her chance to turn the tables on the smug Bat.

It was Bruce’s turn to be utterly shocked as he contemplated her question. “Diana,” he slowly said her name, his mind frantically racing for a suitable answer that would not end up in bloodshed or death. “You honestly don’t want to go there especially on our honeymoon, do you?”

Diana playfully drew his lower lip between her teeth, softly brushing her mouth again his but pulling back every time he tried to deepen the kiss, further tormenting him. “I don’t know,” she nonchalantly replied with a subtle shrug of her shoulders. “I was just thinking on the jet ride over here how you’ve had many female conquests and love interests over the years, but you’re my first and only. 

“There’s no one in my past for you to be jealous over and yet you probably have hundreds. Maybe I should’ve sowed some wild hay before settling down and marrying you.”

Bruce chuckled with her attempt at using man’s adages to make a point. “It’s ‘wild oats’ and hell no,” he firmly stated, suddenly annoyed by the thought. “I’ve had plenty to be jealous about over the last couple of years…enough to raise my blood pressure and add an extra two hours to my work out sessions just to relieve the stress.”

Diana cocked an eyebrow with his confession. “Really?” she questioned him, sounding almost pleased with his answer. “Who made you jealous? I’ve never flirted with anyone, but you. You’re the only one who really caught my eye.”

“Well, let’s see,” he thoughtfully replied. “There was Flash’s frequent flirting with you and hitting on you every single chance he got that drove me insane.”

“Wally’s harmless,” Diana scoffed. “He’s like my kid brother.”

“Then there’s Clark,” he frowned, his voice tinged with jealousy despite being his best friend.

“Kal?” she exclaimed, stunned by his admission. “Kal’s like my big brother. Besides, he’s with Lois. I’ve never felt more for him than friendship.”

“I know, but you two have always shared a special bond with one another, something that I didn’t feel I had with you,” he tried to explain. “Then there’s the whole world who wanted you two to marry. Everywhere I went there were tabloid articles and magazine covers of the two of you with headlines in big letters ‘Will They or Won’t They’ or ‘We Want Super Babies’.”

“What the world wants and what I want are two very different things,” she reassured him. “Besides, I’ve got a bond of a different kind with you that I don’t share with anyone else. I chose you to give my virtue to, definitely not Wally or even Kal. And it’s your baby I proudly carry, your ring on my finger, and your last name that I took.”

Bruce leaned in, kissing her passionately as he rolled her onto her back once more, pressing her into the carpet with his muscular body. He could still hardly believe that this was all real; this incredible woman had chosen him of all people to love.

Pulling back, he kissed her forehead. “Remember, it goes both ways, Princess,” he reminded her. “It’s you I fell madly in love with, you that I proposed to and married, you that I want to have this baby with. No one else but you. So, you have no reason to be jealous of Selina or anyone else for that matter.”

Diana smiled up at him, touched by his words. “Such a heartfelt sentiment coming from someone who supposedly doesn’t possess a heart,” she lightly teased. “Are you growing sappy on me, Dark Knight?”

“You better enjoy it now while you can because we both know it won’t last long,” he confessed. “I wish I could say that it will always be roses and romance, but you know as well as I do that it never is for the kind of lives we lead.”

“I know, but I’ll take what I can get from you whenever I can get it,” she grinned, lifting her hips to grind against his.

Bruce groaned, his eyes momentarily falling closed with the sweet contact. “For the next week, you can get as much as you want from me as long as you don’t kill me off. Remember, I am just a mere mortal man.”

“For a mere mortal man, you are an incredibly passionate lover,” she replied. “You must have been blessed by Aphrodite or Eros at some point in your life.”

“You know I think Selina told me the exact same thing…” he teased, earning a fist to his shoulder and an angry Amazon beneath him.

“You are no longer allowed to mention that woman’s name ever again,” she scowled, suddenly flipping him onto his back and stealing back control. “In fact, I think I’m just going to drive her from your mind, make you forget that you ever knew her.”

“Knew who?” he gasped, his mouth falling open at the exquisite pleasure that lanced through him as she suddenly slammed her hips down, fully sheathing him inside of her again. 

“Exactly,” Diana smirked as she leaned down and kissed him to reward him.

He bucked his hips, needing desperately for her to move as his hands gripped her thighs. “Do you think…we’ll ever make it…to the bed?” he managed to get out between strangled gasps and moans.

“I’m sure eventually,” she replied, her tongue sneaking out to lightly trace his lips. “As for now I have more important things to take care of like making you forget every woman you’ve ever been with.”

“Believe me, Princess…you already did that…a long time ago,” he panted as his body tensed with the arousal pumping through him in a frantic need for release again.

Grinning, Diana leaned down to kiss him as she began to make love to her new husband. She may not have claws or a whip like Catwoman, but she thanked Hera for her golden lasso and the blessing of Aphrodite for being able to bring incredible pleasure to her Dark Knight.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 12

Bruce stormed through the main entrance of the manor like a tornado, the door slamming loudly as his hand was already reaching to loosen the knot of his tie. “Alfred!” he yelled.

The ever-vigilant British butler immediately appeared meeting Bruce in the main foyer of the manor and helping him remove his suite jacket. He could tell by the scowl on his surrogate’s son’s face that he was in a less than pleasant mood this evening.

“Where’s Diana?” he demanded to know as he began unbuttoning his dress shirt.

“I’m afraid she left hours ago, Master Bruce,” Alfred informed him.

“Is it that late already?” he scowled.

Bruce cursed under his breath as he immediately raced up the stairs, removing his shirt with Alfred hot on his heels. Entering his bedroom, he momentarily paused as he caught a whiff of Diana’s scent still lingering in the air, filling his senses. It immediately began to calm his heart in a way that only she ever could, soothing away a small measure of the stress of a very long day.

“I take it the meeting didn’t go well?” Alfred inquired as he bent over and began picking up the clothes Bruce was quickly removing and leaving scattered all over the bedroom floor.

“It was a disaster,” Bruce snapped as he grabbed his tux lying waiting for him on the bed and began redressing. “Bunch of the most incompetent idiotic people I’ve ever met. The merger got delayed until next week now. What should have been a quick meeting to sign the papers turned into over three hours of arguing and demands for renegotiations.”

“I’m sure Miss Diana will understand, Sir,” Alfred reassured him as he helped him put his jacket on. “She knows how long you’ve been working on this business deal.”

“How’s she feeling today?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Still battling fatigue, but taking it all in stride as always,” Alfred informed him. “Nothing ever slows her down, not even being pregnant with your child.”

A wry smile touched his lips with the reminder. “Truer words have never been spoken,” Bruce replied as he fussed with his bowtie, his annoyance growing once more. “That woman’s going to give me gray hair long before my time with her refusal to slow down.”

Alfred smiled knowingly with Bruce’s words. “Indeed, Master Bruce, but she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”

“I know,” he sighed heavily as his thoughts continued to drift to her. “How did her appointment go today?”

“Dr. Leslie said that both mother and baby are doing just fine,” he informed him. “Miss Diana insisted I stay so I could see the ultrasound of the baby. It was truly marvelous.”

Bruce turned to face his father figure, the sheer pride and joy in the elder man’s face warming his heart. “I wish I could have been there, but I’m glad that you were there for her. Thank you, Alfred.”

“She misses you greatly, Master Bruce, but she understands,” he told him. “Besides, it was my pleasure. It will be good to have a child running around the manor again.”

“I know,” he nodded his head. “I’m a lucky man…the luckiest in the world.”

“That you are,” Alfred agreed, adjusting his bowtie for him. “Now, you better hurry or you’ll be the luckiest man ever to be banished to sleep on the couch if you run any later than you already are.”

Bruce grunted in agreement as he slipped his shoes on. He would’ve preferred a night home alone with his wife, but spending the evening with her at a charity event was going to have to do for the time being. Time had become a precious commodity since their honeymoon and he was more than anxious to spend some time with her.

They had started their married life together in Paris, their honeymoon the most amazing week of his life only to return home to the true realities of their lives. He had wished several times over the last month and a half that he could just whisk Diana back to Paris to that flat that he had bought for them, locking themselves away for another week. Hopefully someday soon he’d be able to do just that before the baby was born.

The last several weeks had been filled with long merger meetings by day and taking down a female slave trade ring in Gotham by night. Despite the guilt he felt, Diana hadn’t said a single word about his absence except that she had missed him, kissing him breathless in passing as a reminder of what he was missing.

Tonight, he hoped to change all that.

XXX

Diana pulled a raven curl behind her ear as she spoke with the director of the women’s shelter. She smiled pleasantly, trying to keep her focus on what the woman was saying, but her thoughts continually wandered to her missing husband.

She had seen so little of him the six weeks and she found she missed him more with every passing day. She knew in her heart that it was going to be like this at times, falling asleep alone only to wake up yet alone, but her emotions were attempting to get the better of her now, fatigue weighing heavily on her.

Her hand absentmindedly fell to her protruding belly, gently caressing it and wondering if Bruce would still find her as attractive as he had when they had first started seeing each other. She already felt huge and she still had a little over three more months to go yet.

She could only imagine how enormous she’d be by the time she actually gave birth.

And it wasn’t that she was necessarily a vain person. In fact, she had rarely worried about her appearance or what people actually thought…that was until Bruce Wayne. 

She had long ago begun to notice the way that he would look at her when he thought she wasn’t paying attention or the sudden fierce intensity and longing that would fill his piercing blue eyes, making her weak in the knees.

That’s when she quickly discovered just how much of an affect she could have on a man with her looks, the way she walked or even the way she smiled. And she found she loved that she was able to put such a heated look in Bruce’s eyes, the fire that blazed there for her and her alone.

Diana found it was suddenly growing quite warm the more she thought about him. She was going to have to focus on this charity benefit that she was hosting and less on him if she was going to survive the evening. Besides, the chances of seeing Bruce or to even be with him were growing slimmer by the minute.

“Well, we can’t thank you enough for all the hard work that you put into tonight, Mrs. Wayne,” Amelia gushed. “It’s been a wonderful evening and because of you the women residing at the shelter will have benefited greatly.”

“It was my pleasure,” Diana smiled. “I just hope we were able to raise enough funds for the needed renovations and additions.”

“Indeed we have,” she replied with giddy excitement. “We were able to raise everything needed and then some.”

Diana was more than pleased with the news. “I’m glad the evening was a success. Those women definitely deserve to have a safe place to go when in need.”

“You should be proud,” Amelia continued. “Because of you, this has been our most successful year ever. By the way, where’s your husband? He should be here to share in your accomplishment.”

“I’m afraid Bruce had a very important matter that required his immediate attention, but he sends his best.”

“Well, hopefully next year,” Amelia sighed in understanding. “Please excuse me. I really must speak with the caterer.”

**********

Entering the ballroom, Bruce quickly adjusted his tux jacket as he drew a deep breath, hoping that he wasn’t in too much trouble with his wife. He cast a quick glance at his Rolex to check the time. Only a little over two and a half hours late.

He internally grimaced as he began to look around. Not good, but hopefully he could still salvage what was left of the evening and work his way back into his wife’s good graces or it was going to be a very long, cold night all alone.

His intense blue-eyed gaze quickly scanned the crowded ballroom filled with many familiar faces, the same group of people who usually attended these glamorous social events. Soft strains of music drifted through the air as he looked for her, steadily growing stronger as the next song began to play. 

Just then, a petite cocktail waitress came by with a tray, handing him a glass of champagne which he readily accepted as he continued his search. She offered him an assortment of hors d'oeuvres which he turned down, his only interest in finding Diana at that moment.

He had to admit that he had been more than a little worried about her lately. Since coming back from their honeymoon, she’d thrown herself into her charity work in an effort to keep herself busy now that she was no longer able to be a part of the Justice League.

He had come home one day a couple of weeks ago to find her sitting on their bed crying. She had been out earlier that evening with Shayera eating dinner when she’d heard a girl’s cries for help. She’d been forced to sit back and wait, doing nothing while Shayera went to their aid.

He knew how difficult it had been for her to be forced to the sidelines like she had, but he couldn’t begin to imagine her out there fighting super villains, putting herself and their baby in harm’s way at every turn, fighting earthquakes and stopping avalanches. It made him shudder with dread.

Bruce’s search suddenly stopped, his heart leaping as his gaze finally fell on the object of his search…and his deepest desires. It felt as if all the air had just been sucked from his lungs as he slowly drank in her perfection, a fierce hunger erupting in pit of his stomach.

Diana was standing on the other side of the dance floor talking to the director of the women’s shelter, a smile gracing her lips. Diana looked positively stunning in a midnight blue sequined halter gown with a slit that ended high on her leg and revealing a generous view of her creamy thigh. 

Her long black hair was pulled up on the sides, curls falling down and framing her perfect face. He was thrilled to see that she was wearing the diamond bracelet and earrings he had given her for their one month wedding anniversary, the jewelry only adding to the regal air that encompassed her.

He swallowed hard as his greedy gaze fell to her hand resting on her round belly where their baby grew. His baby…his wife. It still all seemed so surreal to him, a sweet fantasy that he had never dreamed possible.

Looking around him, Bruce noticed that Diana had pretty much captured the attention of every single person in the room, mesmerizing them with her beauty, grace, and charm. He definitely didn’t appreciate the way some were staring at her – women positively green with envy while the vast majority of men studied her with a lustful leer that only served to flare his own jealous ire.

Pushing his jealousy aside, Bruce finally managed to make his legs work, walking across the room towards her as the mayor’s wife approached Diana. He could hear murmurs as he passed, people mostly wondering how he’d been lucky enough to have snagged Wonder Woman or that he wasn’t any good enough for her…to which he would have to agree.

He wasn’t good enough for Diana, but somehow she had found him worthy of her love despite that fact.

Bruce’s hand firmly grasped Diana’s elbow as he came up from behind, capturing her attention. He watched as she turned to look at him, her eyes instantly brightening at the site of him.

“Bruce,” she greeted him, her ruby red lips curving into a brilliant smile that instantly dazzled him.

She was practically glowing with a beautiful radiance that seemed to be lit from within and stealing his breath. “Sorry, I’m so late,” he murmured, taking her hand in his and squeezing it as he leaned in to brush his lips against her cheek.

“I’m just happy you were able to make it after all,” she softly admitted. “I’m afraid my dance card has been quite empty all night.”

“Good,” he smiled wickedly. “I want to be the only one to fill your dance card for you, Mrs. Wayne.”

“You should be proud of your wife, Bruce,” the mayor’s wife interjected as she beamed at the happy couple. “Tonight has been a complete success and it’s all because of Diana’s tremendous efforts. She is truly an amazing woman.”

“Yes, she is. I am very proud of her,” he agreed, casting a glance at his wife. “It’s also why I married her. She makes me look so good.”

“Oh, Bruce,” the woman chided him with a grin, swatting his arm playfully. “She certainly has done the impossible, reforming the billionaire playboy of Gotham.”

“Only she ever could,” he agreed with her. “Now, if you’ll please excuse us, I’d like to dance with my gorgeous wife before someone else tries to snatch her away from me.”

Leading her out onto the dance floor, Bruce swiftly turned, pulling her into his arms, the only space between them the baby growing in her womb as his hand rested lightly low on her back. “Hello, Mrs. Wayne,” he murmured, his intent gaze roaming over her.

“Hi,” she smiled softly. “I was worried that you weren’t going to be able to make it.”

“I couldn’t let my beautiful Princess down on her big night,” he replied, nodding at an acquaintance who was intently watching them as they danced, jealousy in the man’s eyes. “I would’ve been here sooner if I could have.”

“I know, but you’re here now and that’s all that matters,” she reassured him. “I take it your meeting didn’t go so well.”

“No, but I don’t want to talk about it right now,” he frowned with a shake of his head. “All I want to do is enjoy being with my wife. Tonight is all about you, nothing else.”

“I’d like that,” she smiled, her heart beginning to race now that he was finally here, looking so handsome in his black tux. Hera, she had missed this man so much.

Staring deeply into her eyes, he was already beginning to lose himself in the blue depths staring back at him with fierce longing, made darker by lust or the midnight blue of her evening gown. Either way, he knew he wasn’t going to last very long tonight at this rate.

“You keep staring at me like that and I’m going to have to pull you somewhere private so I can have my way with you,” he learned forward to murmur low in her ear, his warm breath causing a tremble of sweet anticipation to ripple through her.

He could feel her shiver in his arms as he danced with her, the feel of their baby between them heating his blood in an unexpected way. This night suddenly could not end soon enough for him as he held her possessively in his arms, showing everyone that she belonged to him and no one else.

“I’m not stopping you,” she whispered, lightly caressing his cheek with her own.

She heard a soft, almost imperceptible moan escape his lips with her words, her touch. “You want to abandon your own charity benefit, Princess?” he questioned her, nuzzling her hair and inhaling deeply.

“I’ve been here for over three hours now, greeting everyone and answering hundreds of questions about my life and marriage including where my new husband was,” she told him, keeping her voice soft. “And now that he’s finally here, I want him all to myself to do with as I wish before he has to leave me again.”

“Actually, I have a few thoughts of my own on the matter,” he whispered as he moved her about the dance floor, relishing the feel of her in his arms once more. 

“Hmmm…” she pondered his words. “And just what kind of thoughts are you having about me? I am a married woman you know.”

Bruce smirked with her teasing. “Well, let’s see,” he murmured. “Let’s start with you look positively gorgeous tonight in that dress….you have no idea how much I want you right now...I want to…”

Diana suddenly grew quite warm as he continued to whisper suggestive things into her ear, her body flushing in response to his rather wicked thoughts. “I bet you say that to all the women you dance with, Mr. Wayne,” she teased.

Bruce leaned in even closer, growing more aroused by her coy teasing. “Only the ones carrying my baby,” he flirted back.

Diana quickly pulled back in shock to stare into his face, her azure eyes narrowing in obvious irritation. “There had better only be one woman carrying your baby, Bruce Wayne, or you will have one irate Amazon wife on your hands,” she sternly scolded him. “It won’t be pretty.”

Bruce’s smirk broadened with her response, fighting back a chuckle. “Only you, Princess…I swear,” he grinned, swiftly pulling her close once more or as close as her large belly would allow. “You have no idea how much I’m dying to untie that halter around her neck…to run my mouth over every square inch of your skin.”

He drew back just enough to watch Diana’s cheeks grow rosy with his seductive teasing, her blue eyes growing wide in shock. “And you expect me to be able to stay here now with an offer like that from my handsome husband that I’ve hardly seen in weeks?”

Bruce’s face suddenly grew serious. “I’m sorry, Diana,” he told her, his guilt rising. “I know I haven’t been around much the last several weeks, but I’m free now…all night.”

His emphasis on the last two words immediately caught her attention, causing her eyes to brighten. “Hera, it’s about time,” she sighed. “I thought I was going to have to call Kal to take care of…”

Bruce growled, knowing what she was about to say, his lips swiftly silencing hers before she could even say it. She moaned softly, his hand coming to rest against her cheek as he deepened the kiss.

“You will not be calling Kent for anything,” he heatedly replied, his eyes revealing his jealousy.

“Can we please get out of here?” she pleaded.

“You do look exhausted,” he frowned. “Maybe we should postpone our date tonight to another…”

“You will do no such thing, Bruce Wayne,” she insisted. “I’ve been sleeping alone since our honeymoon and I will not do it again tonight. I can sleep tomorrow. Tonight, you’re all mine.”

Smirking, Bruce took her hand in his, squeezing it firmly. Quickly leading her from the dance floor, he suddenly wished Diana could fly them home.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 13

Diana couldn’t contain the laughter that bubbled up within her, her hand quickly covering her mouth as Shayera did a dead-on impersonation of Batman, terrifying scowl and all. She couldn’t help laughing at her poor husband’s expense but she could hardly keep it in.

Hawkgirl couldn’t hold the pokerfaced expression a second longer, a wide grin breaking across her face at the sound of all the laughter that greeted her ears. “Poor Flash nearly passed out, his face…well, the part not covered by his mask…went completely white as a sheet, his jaw hanging open in shock,” Shayera continued her story. “How Batman managed to keep a straight face at Flash’s reaction I’ll never know, but he did. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Flash run so fast in my entire life!”

“I wish I could have seen that,” Black Canary managed to get out between fits of laughter, her arm wrapped around her stomach sore from laughing so hard. “I bet Batman was fit to be tied!”

“You have no idea,” Shayera continued with a roll of her green eyes. “It was all I could do not to lose it right there as he pulled the silly string from his cowl. I think I actually saw steam rolling out of his pointy bat ears.”

Huntress was doubled over at the very image, Vixen wiping tears from her eyes and Diana biting her lip to keep her laughter at bay. Shayera finally sat down, collapsing in her own fit of laughter at the memory. 

“Flash avoided Batman for over a whole week after that because he was so scared of what Batman would do to him,” Diana revealed. “All I can say is it’s a good thing the man can run as fast as he does.”

“Flash was peeking around every corner, afraid of running into the Caped Crusader,” Shayera added. “He even ate his meals in his room out of fear of running into him in the commissary.”

“Batman said it was the best week of life,” Diana giggled, her hand gently caressing her belly. “He was Flash-free with no foolish jokes or ribbing.”

“And the way Flash acted at the Founder’s meeting that Monday after,” Shayera reminded her. “He sat in the corner with his head down, didn’t say a peep the entire time. As soon as Superman dismissed, he sped out of there like his red pants were on fire.”

A whole new wave of laughter erupted among the female superheroes gathered in the lounge of the Watchtower. “We better be careful or Batman just might walk in and hear us laughing at his expense,” Vixen pointed out.

“Good point,” Shayera agreed with a grin. “I don’t think he’d be quite as amused as we are even if Diana has loosened him up just a little bit.”

“Yah, I think his scowl might look slightly less intimidating since marrying you, Diana,” Huntress thoughtfully replied. “I think you might actually have him smiling in another five…maybe ten years.”

“Oh Hera!” Diana exclaimed. “Don’t let him hear you say that.”

“So does he scowl all the time or just when he’s happy?” Black Canary suddenly asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“Yah, does he even scowl in the bedroom too?” Huntress quipped. 

Diana felt her cheeks begin to grow warm as she took another drink of punch. “Oh, there’s a definite smile on his face,” she replied with a grin of her own.

That response received a round of giggles and whoops that only caused the Amazon to flush even brighter red. “I have to hand it to you, Di,” Vixen laughed. “You definitely tamed the Bat.”

“Yah, but it took an Amazon Princess to finally do it,” Black Canary added. “Only someone equally as strong as him could do something like that.”

Just then, a red blur suddenly zipped into the middle of the party, a grin on his face. “Hey, ladies,” Flash greeted them. “How’s the baby shower going? Need the old Flash here to liven things up?”

“Flash!” Shayera yelled, standing to her feet. “Get out! This is for women only!”

“Alright…alright,” Flash held up his hands defensively before him. “Don’t get your feathers into a knot. I was just offering to help.”

“Thanks for the offer, Flash,” Diana smiled. “We’re doing just fine. Besides, it’s pretty much over.”

“Well, I have a present for the little Wonder Bat,” Flash confessed, suddenly zipping out of the room and back in. “Here, Di. Hope the baby bat enjoys it.”

“Thanks, Wally,” Diana replied, taking the small box from her friend. “It’s very sweet of you.” 

She pulled the ribbon free, opening the box to find a pacifier in the box with a little bat symbol on in the shape of black bat. She helped it up for all to see, a proud grin plastered on the Flash’s face, as well as an ‘aww-shucks’ expression that so befitted him.

“Wally, it’s adorable,” Diana told him. “I’m sure Bruce will think so too.”

“Yah, because it’s not covered in silly string,” Shayera muttered, fighting back the laughter that rose in her throat.

The other women weren’t as lucky as laughter rolled through the room, Flash’s jaw turning as red as his uniform. “Hey, it was an honest mistake,” he tried to explain. “It could have happened to anyone.”

“Only you, Flash,” Shayera reminded him with a shake of her red head. “Your timing for mishaps that inevitably drag Batman into it is becoming legendary.”

“He’s going to kill you one of these days,” Huntress warned him.

“No, he won’t,” Flash maintained. “Underneath that Kevlar and terrifying sneer lays the heart of a man who truly considers me a close friend.”

Suddenly, a hand came to rest on Flash’s shoulder, causing his heart to nearly stop. Wally whipped around to find Batman standing behind him, another boisterous round of laughter erupting from the women who had seen the Dark Knight stealthily entering from behind.

Flash’s hand immediately went to his chest, a loud gasp escaping his lips. “Stop doing that!” Flash cried. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“That’s the point,” Batman stoically replied, his jaw set firmly with his usual fierce expression.

“Well, I was just…saying that…” Flash began to stumble over his words, his nervousness getting the better of him. “You know…you and me, Bats. We’re like best buds and…”

Batman just stared evenly at him as Wally stammered, allowing Flash to dig himself even deeper. He still had not forgotten the silly string incident from several months ago before Diana had gotten pregnant.

The women all watched in great amusement, enjoying how uncomfortable the Batman could make Flash. As much as they loved the red speedster, they equally loved how intimidated he was by the Dark Knight of Gotham.

“…and that’s all I was saying…honest,” Flash finally finished his rambling explanation.

“If you are done now, I would like to escort my wife home,” Batman rasped, looking past the Flash to Diana who was struggling to her feet.

“We were just finishing up when Flash came in,” Shayera innocently informed him.

“And telling stories at my expense,” Batman replied, directing a sharp reprimanding glance at Hawkgirl.

Shayera looked down to Huntress with a shocked expression on her face. “How does he know everything?” she loudly whispered, stunned.

“I think the whole Watchtower is bugged,” Black Canary frowned, making a mental note to keep her flirty conversations with Green Arrow PG from now on.

“Help me take all the presents to the Javelin 7,” Batman told Flash, deciding he could be useful for something at that moment.

“I’d love to, best friend,” Flash quipped, patting Batman’s back to which he received a dark glower.

Flash immediately removed his hand, racing to the numerous presents piled on the nearby table and gathering some in his arms. “Meet you at the Javelin, buddy,” he told him before racing from the room.

Batman made his way to Diana. “Are you ready or did you want to stay longer?”

“No, I’m all ready to go,” she smiled.

“We’re going to miss you, Di,” Vixen told her, giving her a hug.

Diana chuckled softly. “I’ll be back after the baby’s born,” she replied.

“Just one more month and there’ll be a baby Batman or Wonder Woman,” Shayera reminded them with obvious excitement. “I can hardly wait.”

“Our baby is not going to be a superhero,” Bruce bluntly informed them.

“How about we allow our child to decide their future for themselves?” Diana suggested, picking up a couple of gift bags full of baby clothes.

Batman grunted in response, the deep frown on his face telling everyone exactly what he thought of that idea. He gathered up the remainder of the presents, more than ready to go home.

Making his way to the door, Batman suddenly paused, casting a glance back over his shoulder at the super women gathered there. “And by the way, I don’t smile in the bedroom,” he deadpanned. “I smirk.”

With that he left, making his way down the corridor, the sound of wild laughter spilling from the room all over again as he made his way to the Javelin.

XXX

Diana sat at the large desk in the Batcave waiting for her husband to return from his nightly patrol, her mind still occupied with something Bruce had said earlier. Leaning on one arm, she scrolled through the thousands of names she’d found on the internet, hoping one would pop out at her.

She winced as another sharp kick connected with her kidney, the other reason for her being up at this insane hour. She was growing more uncomfortable with every passing day, sleep becoming something of a luxury.

Taking another sip of her tea, she wrinkled up her nose at the list of boys names the website offered, wondering who possibly could have come up with some of these names.

She needed to find one that they could both agree on. She knew that Bruce would never go for a traditional Greek god or goddess name and to be honest she was actually fine with that. She was in Man’s World after all now and wanted to pick a more suitable name for living here.

Besides, there was no sense slapping their poor child with a name that few could even pronounce let along spell. Life was going to be rough enough with having superheroes for parents without doing something like that.

Sitting back in the chair, Diana rubbed her eyes, her gaze falling on the pacifier Flash had given them. She had forgotten to show it to Bruce after her baby shower and was anxious to show him what the speedster had given them.

The low rumbling sound of the Batmobile’s engine caused her to look up, glad that her husband was finally home, hopefully safe and sound. She watched as the sleek black car pulled in to its rightful place of honor in the cave, Batman emerging with a dark glower that spoke volumes about the night he’d just had.

“What are you doing down here, Princess?” he gruffly greeted her.

“Hello to you too,” she frowned. “My husband forgot to lock me in my bedroom before going out to perform his nightly vigilante duties so I was able to escape my prison.”

“Funny,” he scowled. “You shouldn’t be climbing up and down those steep steps in your condition.”

“You do remember that I can still fly despite being as big as a house?” she shot back.

This was going well. Obviously not the night to try to discuss baby names. She watched as he made his way to her, removing his gauntlets and cowl before tossing them onto the desk. 

“You should be in bed sleeping,” he sternly reprimanded her as he leaned back against the edge of the desk so he could face her.

Diana folded her arms against her chest in defiance. “Your baby wouldn’t let me.”

“You still shouldn’t be down here,” he frowned again. “It’s cold and drafty.”

“I’m a Meta,” she reminded him. “I don’t get sick. Want to try again or do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”

Bruce looked away then, his eyes hard with frustration and anger brought on by something that had happened tonight. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Diana studied him for a long moment as she weighed her next words carefully, noticing the fatigue that had settled around his eyes. She wished that he’d let her in more, but hopefully in time he would.

He looked down then, noticing the pacifier on the desk. He picked it up, his frown deepening as he studied it. “Where did this come from?”

“Flash,” she smiled despite her annoyance with him at that moment.

“Could have been worse I guess,” he grumbled.

“Worse how?”

“It could’ve been a breast pump,” he told her, his voice still holding the edge that it had held when he had first arrived.

Diana giggled with his response regardless of his surly mood. “That would have been interesting to see,” she had to admit.

“This definitely can’t go out in public,” he snorted. “They’ll think you had an affair with Batman behind my back.”

Diana chuckled with his words. “I sort of am,” she teased. “It’s like having the best of both worlds.”

She saw a barely perceptible smile almost crack through his fearsome façade, but was replaced with a grimace instead as he laid the pacifier on the desk again. That’s when she noticed that he was injured, a cut in the left shoulder of his Kevlar uniform.

“Bruce, you’re hurt,” Diana exclaimed as she struggled to get up out of the chair.

“It’s nothing,” he shook his head, getting up to walk away from her.

“Take off your uniform so I can look at it,” Diana insisted, following him to the medical table that always sat waiting for his return after every patrol, ready to put the Bat back together again.

“Diana…”

“Bruce, let me take care of you,” she told him, not about to back down. “Besides, do you really want to argue with a pregnant Amazon who’s this close to giving birth?”

Bruce considered her for a moment before releasing a ragged breath of reluctant surrender. “You are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met,” he scowled as he began to remove the top of his uniform, wincing from the pain that pierced his shoulder.

“Only matched by you, husband,” she smiled sweetly as she batted her long eyelashes at him, her smile fading as her eyes settled on the site of the deep gash on his left shoulder.

“Bruce,” sighed heavily as she reached for the medical supplies.

He watched as sadness quickly filled her eyes, a deep fear that one day he’d come home in much worse condition than this. He knew there was a good chance that he might not make it home one of these nights. One could only court death so many times before death finally struck back, fast and hard and relentless.

Opening the packages of gauze, Diana set to work cleaning his wound, the feel of his heated gaze on her making her flush inside. “Well, at least you’ll have a scar to match the one on your right shoulder now,” she lightly teased, trying to ease the ache in her heart at seeing him injured.

As much as she hated seeing him hurt, she would never try to force him to give up what she knew he had to do, needed to do. She wouldn’t change the man that she had fallen in love with for anything in this world.

Bruce intently studied her as she worked, his eyes roaming over her. Diana finally made eye contact, noticing his stare, the way his features had subtly softened. “What?” she asked.

“You,” he replied, his gaze intently focused on her. “You are so incredibly beautiful.”

Diana shook her head with an amused chuckle on her lips as she began to bandage his wound. “Bruce, I’m eight months pregnant,” she reminded him. “There’s absolutely nothing beautiful about that.”

“It is when it’s my baby you’re carrying,” he told her.

“So I would be hideous looking if it was another man’s baby?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” he thoughtfully responded. “Grotesque definitely, but not hideous.”

“That makes me feel so much better,” she groaned, pulling a lock of hair behind her ear.

“There is absolutely nothing that you could ever do to look hideous or grotesque to me or any other male on the planet,” he told her, his hand coming to rest gently on her hip.

“Congratulations, Batman. You just earned yourself a place in my bed tonight,” she smiled at him.

“Good,” he replied. “It’s getting too cold outside to sleep in the Batcave.”

“Are you going to tell me what happened tonight?” she pressed.

“If you tell me the real reason why you were waiting up for me,” he shot back.

Diana drew a deep breath before speaking. “Were you serious when you said you didn’t want our child to be a superhero?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “I don’t want this sort of life for our child. I want him or her to be free to be whatever they want to be without having to spend their free time fighting villains and trying to prevent catastrophes.”

Diana had to agree as her body slid in between his knees. “I would love that too, but can we really try to keep our child from being what the gods want him or her to be? Maybe this child was blessed by the gods for a more important purpose than we can begin to know.”

“This is our child, Princess,” he firmly said, his other hand coming to rest on her hip. “I’m not going to let your gods and goddesses dictate what will or will not happen with our child.”

“Bruce…”

“Diana, we created this child…you and me, not Zeus,” he told her, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I don’t want our child to have to carry the burdens that we do, but we may be forced to consider it whether I like it or not.”

Diana leaned in, kissing him hard, her tongue insistently sliding against his. She finally pulled back, resting her forehead against his. “Now, what happened tonight?” she softly breathed.

“I almost didn’t get there in time to save a girl about to be raped,” he finally admitted.

“But you’ve faced situations like that before,” she pointed out, not understanding.

“But this was the first time that I realized that one day it could be our daughter being attacked, our son being mugged at gunpoint,” he sighed. “What if I couldn’t have gotten there in time?”

“But you did, Bruce,” she reminded him. “And you will again tomorrow night…and the night after that and the night after that. I’ll make sure of it. I’ll be there by your side every step of the way.”

“I love you,” he whispered, kissing her again, allowing himself to get lost in the feel of her soft lips against his.

“I love you too,” she softly panted. “Now, want to escort me back to bed?”

“It’s the best offer I’ve had all day,” he replied with an almost smile as he slid off the medical table, taking her hand in his and leading her to the stairs.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 14

Diana moaned with the pleasure coursing through her, arching with the feel of Bruce’s body pressed firmly against her back as he moved deep inside of her. “Bruce…” she gasped, the slow teasing pace he had set beginning to drive her wild, teetering on the edge of a release that was just beyond her grasp.

He kissed the back of her neck, his hands roaming freely over her body as he moved. His hot breath was like fire against her skin, her every nerve ending awakened by him and his love for her. She reached behind her, her hand gripping his backside, trying to get him to move faster.

“More…” she finally was able to get out.

Bruce’s hand caressed her belly as his other hand gripped her thigh, moving her leg further up over his hip. “I don’t…want to hurt…the baby…” he panted heavily.

“You’re…not…” she breathlessly reassured him. “Please…”

“Our baby…is going to have brain damage…you know…”

Diana bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing with his ridiculous comment, but the sound came out more like a strangled moaning giggle. “No it won’t,” she managed to say between gasping breaths.

“Then…it’ll be cross-eyed…” he frowned, unable to keep the humor from reaching his voice as he began to thrust faster, harder, his hand gripping her hip tightly. “Try explaining that…to everyone.”

“Bruce…” she protested, but her tone held only the pleasure that had taken over her senses. 

Diana suddenly came in a heated release that left her trembling violently in his arms and triggering his own. He could feel the baby kicking as if in protest beneath his hand that rested on her stomach as he fought to come down from his climax.

“Are you alright?” he asked, suddenly concerned with how hard she had just come, her body still trembling in his arms.

“That…was…” she panted, trying to calm her hammering heart.

“Amazing,” he finished for her, understanding her feelings.

He kissed along her collarbone to her shoulder, his teeth raking over her skin and causing her to shudder again as he sucked gently. “Our baby is going to need years of psychological therapy because of this,” he murmured against her shoulder. “It’s already protesting because we work it up.”

“Bruce, our baby has no idea what we’re doing,” she laughed as he caressed her thigh.

“How would you know?” he countered, his hands stroking her moist flesh. “You were made out of clay, remember?”

“Do you actually remember your parents doing this while you were in your mother’s womb?”

Bruce considered it for a long moment, ignoring the immediate sting to his heart that always came every time he thought about his parents. “No, but I’m sure it’s got to be one of the reasons why I’m so…how did you put it once…emotionally stunted?”

Diana took his hand from her belly and brought it to her lips, kissing the palm of his hand before placing it back on her abdomen. “That was said in a moment of heated anger which, by the way, you provoked,” she reminded him. “You’re not emotionally stunted. You’re just a little…behind…the rest of us when it comes to knowing how to deal with your emotions.”

“You make it sound like I’m behind the rest of the class,” he smirked, amused by her attempt to make him feel better.

“Well, you have to admit, Bruce,” she sighed as she fought to roll over onto her other side so she could face him. “It took you how many years for you to admit that you had feelings for me let alone do something about it?”

“I’m just…fashionably late,” he responded with a kiss as he brushed her hair behind her shoulder.

“Hera, Bruce,” she rolled her blue eyes. “I was thinking my immortality wasn’t going to be long enough for you.”

Bruce couldn’t hold back the chuckle that rose in his throat as he stared at her still flushed face, the hazy euphoria that lingered in her blue eyes. “Why aren’t you in labor yet?” he asked. “I would’ve thought as powerful as you climaxed I would’ve driven you right into labor.”

“Can you imagine trying to explain that to Dr. Leslie?” she shook her head.

“You aren’t embarrassed are you, Princess?” he laughed, his hand finding her belly. “I think we’re way past that now. I believe that Dr. Leslie is well aware of what we’ve been doing and if not, we need to find you a new doctor fast.”

“No,” she replied, caressing his face. “But it might be a little awkward trying to explain why I went into premature labor.”

“You can just tell her it was all your fault for seducing me like you did,” he told her, his hand resting on her large belly. He could never get past the amazing wonder of feeling their baby move within her womb.

“Me?” she exclaimed in surprise. “It was all you. All I did was climb into bed. Next thing I know I have a very aroused husband pressed against my back.”

“See? All your fault,” he maintained. “I was just minding my own business when this sexy woman climbed into bed with me. What was I supposed to do?”

“Innocent bystander, right?” she grinned. She loved the happiness that permeated his blue eyes, mischievousness that played on his face. It was an expression that surfaced not nearly as often as she’d like and she savored every moment she got to witness it. “You were physically accosted by an eight month pregnant woman who pinned you down and had her way with you?”

Bruce momentarily closed his eyes as if thinking back over the events of how it had all started. “Hmmm…well, it may not have exactly started out like that, but I’m still holding out hope that the night ends that way.”

“I’m sure you are,” she pursed her lips to suppress a giggle at his teasing. “And this was all against your will too.”

“Of course,” he replied, his poker-face firmly in place but he couldn’t erase the way his eyes danced. “I was just trying to fall asleep.”

“I’ll remember that the next time you start touching me like you did,” she told him. “You would rather sleep than make love with your wife.”

“Now wait a minute,” he said, his hands moving to grip her hips firmly. “I never said that. I mean what kind of heartless man would I be not to perform my husbandly duties? I don’t want to shirk my responsibilities to my wife.”

“Oh, Hera,” she mocked. “We couldn’t have that now could we?”

“I don’t want to be accused of not satisfying my wife’s…appetites…whatever they may be,” he murmured as he leaned in to kiss her, his hand sliding into her hair.

They kissed for several long minutes before Diana finally pulled back, her lips curling into a smile. “Innocent bystander, my ass…”

“Princess,” he chided her in mock surprise. “Your language.”

Diana kissed along his jaw, taking her time to tease and taunt him much like he had done to her earlier. “My husband is a bad influence on me I’m afraid,” she huskily replied.

“Maybe you better teach him how to behave,” he flirted with her, the feel of her mouth against his jaw beginning to drive him crazy. She had quickly learned what turned him on and what drove him absolutely wild.

“You are bound and determined to induce labor, aren’t you?”

“Can I help it I’m excited about having this baby with you?” he asked.

Diana pulled back to stare at him in surprised, absorbing the happiness that enveloped him. It was a site that truly touched her heart, nearly bringing tears to her eyes.

Noticing the way she was staring at him, he finally asked, “What?”

“You,” she softly said. “I never thought I’d see the day that Bruce Wayne was this happy. I had always hoped that I could make you happy, but still I…”

“You make me very happy, Princess,” he replied, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m just not always good at knowing how to show how I feel.”

“I think you showed it very well just a few minutes ago,” she grinned. 

“Maybe I should show you again just to make sure you know?” he smirked, kissing her again.

“I would love that, but at some point we do need to talk about baby names,” she reminded him. “This baby is coming in a month and we have no names picked out. My child is not going to be known as ‘it’ for the first six months of its life.”

“What did you have in mind?” he asked, kissing along her cheekbone to her ear, more than ready for another round.

Diana drew a deep breath before giving voice to her thoughts, something that she’d wanted to talk to him about for some time, but had been unsure exactly how to say it without upsetting him. Now, she had no choice.

“I was wondering about naming the baby after your mother or father,” she ventured.

She felt Bruce instantly tense in her arms, his lips pausing in their tortuous assault. He remained frozen like that for several moments, making her wonder if he was touched or angered by her suggestion. She feared the later, but she wanted him to know her desire to remember his parents if he wished it.

Bruce closed his eyes against the rush of heated emotions that surged through him. He hadn’t anticipated Diana’s suggestion. In fact, he’d thought little about it let alone the possibility of naming the baby after one of his parents.

He felt as if all the air had just been sucked out of the room, leaving him breathless. He had actually feared Diana suggesting they name their baby after a Greek god or goddess. He hated to disappoint her, but there was no way in hell he was naming his child Hephaestus or Persephone.

But she hadn’t suggested anything like that at all. She had suggested his dead parents.

Bruce swallowed hard as he pulled back to look into her eyes, uncertainty clouding her blue depths. “It’s only if you want to, Bruce,” she quickly explained. “I thought maybe you might want to…”

“No,” he suddenly interrupted her, his voice firm. “No, I’m not naming our child after my parents.”

Diana watched as his eyes steadily grew hard, the passion and playfulness of just moments ago suddenly vanishing in less than a heartbeat. His heart was swiftly being drawn back behind a thick wall that she felt she had scaled more times than Hermes had Mt. Olympus, but she wasn’t going to give up on him, though. She’d come too far…they had come too far.

“It wouldn’t have to be the baby’s first name,” she continued. “I thought maybe Thomas or Martha for a middle…”

“I said no, Diana,” he snapped, quickly getting up out of bed.

Stunned, Diana didn’t know quite how to react to his sudden change in mood. “Bruce, it was just a suggestion, something to consider,” she pressed, sitting up as she held the sheet against her body. “I thought you might want to remember them through our child.”

“This is our baby, Diana,” he hissed as he threw on some pants and a t-shirt. “Leave my parents out of this.”

“Bruce, where are you going?”

“I have work to do,” he growled before storming out. 

Diana stared at the door he had just slammed, wondering once again how she was ever going to get past that impenetrable wall that always appeared when it came to his parents. He had just pushed her away once more, back to where she had first started so long ago, but she wasn’t about to give up on him. 

No matter how hard he pushed, she would always be there to push back.

XXX

Bruce flew down the steps in an effort to escape the suffocating emotions that had suddenly swept through him in that moment. He couldn’t stop the pounding of his heart as he made his way to the kitchen or release the anguish that clawed at his throat threatening to steal his breath.

He knew that Diana had only meant well in wanting to name their baby after one of his parents, but she shouldn’t have gone there. It was still too painful, too personal and private to openly deal with it let alone share with her just yet.

Logic reminded him that she was his wife and deserved to be let into his private hell that he kept locked away inside of him when it came to them, but he found it too difficult, too much to ask. No one understood what he went through that fateful day. No one but him.

He paused to lean with his palms face down on the counter top, his eyes screwed closed against the wash of memories that flooded his mind – the gun, the sound of the bullets being fired, so much blood, his mother’s pearls.

It still felt as if it had just happened yesterday even now thirty years later, could still hear his mother’s cry, the shooter’s laughter. Would he ever be able to escape the horror of that life-altering night?

Thanks to Diana, the nightmares had greatly diminished to only a few times a month now instead of a nightly occurrence that plagued his sleep and yet how could he let her into his private hell? It was too dark, too horrifying; she too bright, too beautiful and perfect.

He feared if he let her into that moment, into that memory that it would only end up twisting and tainting her as well, turning her into something unrecognizable. He couldn’t allow that to happen. He had to keep her away from that at all cost, couldn’t allow her to become what he had become because of that fateful night.

Bruce didn’t bother turning around or opening his eyes. He knew he was there without even looking. “Are you alright, Master Bruce?”

“I’m fine, Alfred,” he tightly replied.

Alfred slowly nodded his head, knowing his surrogate son was far from it at that moment. He knew him well enough to know that something had greatly upset him. “Can I get you something to eat?”

“No, I’m not hungry,” he curtly said, keeping his back to him.

Alfred came to stand beside him. “Is Miss Diana in need of something?”

“She’s fine.”

The finality in his response, the harshness in his tone told him what had happened. Diana had talked to him the other day about approaching Bruce with the idea of naming the baby after one of Bruce’s parents. Alfred had thought it a very touching suggestion on her part.

“Well, I could use a cup of hot tea,” the butler announced as he made his way over to the tea kettle before taking down two cups from the cupboard. “You know Miss Diana talked to me the other day about the possibility of naming the baby after your parents.”

There was a long tense silence that followed, one that didn’t deter Alfred in the least. At least Bruce was listening. “It warmed my heart that the Princess was considering such a beautiful way to remember your parents. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Bruce squeezed his eyes closed. They were his parents that he lost at such a young age, his mother and father that had been so viciously taken away from him. Why was everyone talking like they had belonged to them?

“Anyway, I encouraged her to talk to you about it, to see what you thought,” Alfred continued, dipping his tea bag in the hot water. “It was a very thoughtful gesture on her part. You married a woman with a true heart of gold, Master Bruce.”

Bruce could feel his anger start to dissipate the longer Alfred talked, his words beginning to break through the thick sorrow that had seized hold of his heart. He was right. It was a very sweet suggestion on her part, one that he should’ve known she’d make. It was truly Diana in every way; want to do something like that to bring him a measure of happiness.

Alfred set a cup of tea before Bruce before taking a sip of his own. “I can only imagine how difficult it must be for her,” he told him. “Being pregnant and banished from her home, being separated from her mother, her sisters and everything that she once knew. She truly has no one but us and the Justice League now.

“Anyway, I thought it a wonderful idea to honor your parents, one she should discuss with you. I know the two of you will come up with the perfect name for the baby, whatever you decide,” Alfred sighed. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to bed. Good night, Master Bruce.”

“Good night,” Bruce murmured, considering all that Alfred had just said. He was right. Alfred was always right whether he liked to admit it or not. 

Bruce suddenly straightened his shoulders at the sound of shuffling feet, rubbing his eyes as he fought back the rising demons. He stiffened when he felt a gentle hand come to rest against his back, patiently waiting for him to turn around. 

Slowly…tentatively, he turned around to find Diana standing there in her dark blue silk robe, her ebony hair tousled from their love making. Her azure eyes were weighted with concern and guilt that only made him feel worse for how he had reacted to her. She had made a selfless suggestion, turning her back on her heritage and her religion to choose Man’s World’s ways and he had acted like an ass. 

“Bruce,” she softly began. “I’m sorry. I never meant to upset you.”

“I know,” came his whispered response. “It just…took me off guard.”

She slowly moved a little closer to him, her folded arms resting atop her belly. “I would be more than happy to name our baby after one of my family members if you’d rather,” she lightly teased with a tilt of her head as she tried to catch a glimpse of his face, hoping to draw him back to her again.

It hurt her to see a frightened little boy in the eyes that finally looked back at her. She would never truly understand the unfathomable depths of his anguish and pain, but she swore to do whatever it took to help banish as much of it as she could for him.

She watched as the little boy vanished from his eyes and her husband returned. “I think we’ll try for something maybe a little more common,” he replied, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Diana closed the distance between them, sliding into his arms that readily welcomed her in a tight embrace. She rested her head against his shoulder, sighing with relief that they had once again found common ground on which to stand.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “I hear that the name Euphrosyne is becoming all the rage in Man’s World now and Iphigeneia has been gaining in popularity as well.”

Bruce couldn’t contain his laughter with her suggestions, their bodies softly shaking together. His laughter turned into a long deep groan with the horrifying thought. “There is no way my daughter is going to be called Iphigeneia Wayne.”

“It does have a certain ring to it, though, doesn’t it?” she smiled.

“No, it does not,” he firmly replied, his chin resting on top of her head. How in the world did this woman always manage to turn his world right side up again?

“Alright, have it your way,” she sighed. “But you might not be so lucky with our next child.”

“Can we just survive the first one before thinking about having any more?”

“If you insist,” she teased, pulling back to caress his cheek. “Come back to bed with me?”

“Always,” he murmured, kissing her deeply before following her back upstairs.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

Chapter 15

The Dark Knight stood perched upon one of his favorite rooftops, his muscular arms crossed against his equally muscular chest. His dark fearsome glower was narrowed to slits on the dimly lit streets below, waiting and watching and keeping vigil over his city.

He’d already stopped a couple of armed robberies and a carjacking tonight, nothing too special. Unusually quiet for a night in Gotham, but most of the major criminal minds and super villains of the city were locked safely away in Arkam already. 

He’d been working extra hard the last several weeks to make sure things were relatively quiet so Nightwing and Robin wouldn’t be too taxed when the baby finally came. Both his sons had argued vehemently with him about it, telling him that they were more than capable of handling things while he took some time off to spend with Diana and the new baby, but of course he had to do things his way.

Bruce knew that they were more than capable, but still there was always a part of him that struggled with giving up that control, allowing someone else to do a job that had been his mission for so long. Besides, he needed to be careful about taking time off as the Batman at the same time that Bruce Wayne and his wife welcomed their first child together.

He couldn’t allow the two events to be connected in any way, any link to each other possibly leading back to Diana and their baby. He’d never be able to live with himself if anything happened to either of them.

His lips twitched with a small smirk. Diana would have an absolute fit if she knew just how much he truly worried about her. An angry Amazon was not something to mess with, but still he couldn’t help himself. He knew she could handle herself when it came down to it, but it was always that outlier that he worried about most.

Everyone had a weakness; an Achilles heel that the enemy was bent on exploiting at all cost…even his powerful wife.

Bruce couldn’t stop the sudden shudder that roiled through him with the thought. Even he’d had contingency plans for each of the Justice League members in case of an emergency, a way to exploit and strike at each of their vulnerabilities, taking them down if necessary.

His teammates had been more than furious with him after they had discovered his emergency plans, but he never regretted it for one moment. They had all come to grudgingly understand the necessity of it in time. 

It had taken Diana the longest to truly understand and accept it, feeling as though he had betrayed their trust. And if he had been truly honest with himself, her feelings of anger and betrayal had actually bothered him to some extent.

Any other time he wouldn’t have given a damn what they had all thought or whether they had felt betrayed, but when it came to Diana…things were always a little different…even back then.

“Batman…come in…”

Bruce instantly froze with the sound of Alfred’s voice, his blood turning to ice water in his veins. He never contacted him when he was out on patrol unless it was an absolute emergency. “What is it?” he rasped.

“It’s time.”

It was just two little words, a simple phrase spoken to husbands countless times since the beginning of time and yet it struck terror in the heart of the most fearless man on earth. “I’m on my way.”

“Nightwing…come in…”

“This Nightwing,” came the younger man’s voice. “What is it Batman?”

“It’s time,” he snapped as he swung through the air to where the Batmobile sat waiting for him.

“Now?” Nightwing exclaimed in surprise. “But it’s two weeks early and…”

“I know,” he curtly responded, his voice gruff and yet hinted at the fear that clawed at his heart. “I’ll keep you posted.”

“Robin and I got you covered,” Nightwing promised him. “Give her…”

“Batman out.”

Nightwing stared into the darkness of night as his mind raced with what this could possibly mean. There was so much more that he had wanted to say to his father, wanting Bruce to give his best to Diana, to let him know that he was here for them no matter what happened.

He was going to have a little brother or sister soon and he sincerely hoped that both Diana and the baby would be alright. He’d never seen Bruce this happy in all the years that he had known the man. He truly feared what losing Diana or the baby would do to him now.

He shuddered to think of it. Bruce might never recover from something like that, plummeting him headlong into a sea of utter desolation and destruction that he might never find his way out of.

“Robin,” he suddenly barked into his comm-link.

“Yah, what’s up?”

Nightwing shook his head with a small smile at his younger brother’s laidback response. “It’s time.”

“What?!”

Dick winced with the yell that filtered through his comm-link before finally repeating himself. “I said it’s time.”

“But it can’t be!” he cried. “It’s not for another couple of weeks.”

“I know…I know,” he replied. “It’s just you and me, bro.”

“We got this,” he responded a little more calmly this time, his voice growing softer. “I hope she’ll be alright.”

“I know…me too,” Nightwing softly said.

Even though far beyond needing a mother at this point in his life, Diana had quickly become a part of their unusual little family, someone who loved Bruce fiercely and knew him just as well as they did. She was by far one of the only two people in the world who could truly handle him. 

She had become a confident when Bruce was unbearable and insufferable at times, a bridge-builder between Bruce and him when things had been at their worst. She had somehow become the glue of their family along with Alfred, binding them all together into a strange yet remarkable little family.

Dick just hoped that it stayed that way.

XXX

Bruce drove as fast as the Batmobile could go, tearing through the countryside at a blinding speed, his jaw clenched tightly with fear. She couldn’t be in labor. It was too early. It had to be something else, some other problem that they weren’t aware of yet.

Something that could…

No, he couldn’t think like that, refused to allow those thoughts to fully take shape in his mind. It had to be something to do with her Amazonian physiology that was causing her to go into early labor. Maybe this was natural for an Amazon, but how would they ever know? No one knew of any other Amazon who had ever given birth.

He flew into the Batcave, the tires of the Batmobile screeching loudly as he slammed on the brakes, the car skidding to a stop on its platform. He jumped from the car, ripping off pieces of his uniform one at a time and tossing them onto the floor of the cave as he began to race up the steps to the manor.

“Alfred!” he yelled as he entered the house, his senses on high alert as he swiftly made his way towards the delivery suite he’d set up months ago since learning Diana was pregnant.

Alfred suddenly appeared from around the corner, worry etched in the wrinkles that lined his elderly face. “Master Bruce,” the butler solemnly greeted him.

“How’s Diana?” he demanded to know. “What happened? She shouldn’t be in labor for another two weeks.”

“I know, but she’s been having contractions for several hours now and…” he began to explain.

“Several hours?” he exclaimed. “Why didn’t you call me sooner?”

“Miss Diana didn’t want me to bother you on patrol, Sir,” he said, his hand coming to rest on Bruce’s shoulder in an effort to calm him. “She thought they were just false contractions. She’s been having them off and on for the last couple of days.”

“What?” Bruce growled, his anger rising exponentially with his fear. “She should have told me.”

“Dr. Leslie warned her she could be having these contractions the closer to the due date she got,” he explained. “She knew you’d worry so she didn’t want to tell you.”

“But they’re not this time, are they?”

“No, not this time,” Alfred shook his head. “Her water broke.”

“And Dr. Leslie?” he asked as he began to make his way to the birthing room, needing to see her.

“Already contacted,” he nodded. “She’s coming as soon as she can, but unfortunately she’s in the middle of an emergency at the moment. She promised to do everything in her power to get here as soon as possible.”

Bruce drew a deep breath, trying to calm his hammering heart, his mind already racing with every scenario he could possibly conceive and not many of them good. He finally had everything that he hadn’t even realized that he had wanted or needed and now he was at risk of losing it all.

Drawing near, he could hear Diana’s panting gasps, her soft cries of pain. He could also hear Shayera’s voice as she tried to soothe her, reassuring her through the contractions.

Bruce entered the room, his heart nearly stopping at the sight of Diana lying on the bed, her body curled around her belly as she tried to breathe through a contraction, her damp raven hair clinging to her skin. Shayera sat on the edge of her bed, holding her hand and wiping her forehead with a wet cloth.

“Diana,” he softly said as he slowly drew near.

“Bruce,” Diana gasped, her hands splayed over her abdomen seized in a contraction. “I’m sorry…I should’ve told you…”

Shayera stood to her feet, wanting to give them a moment alone. “I’ll go check with Alfred,” she began to excuse herself. “See if Dr. Leslie is on her way yet.”

Bruce came to stand by Diana’s bed, gently brushing her hair from her face before leaning in and pressing his lips against her temple. “Shhh…” he murmured. “It’s alright, Princess.”

“I thought…these were just…false contractions again…” she panted, clenching her teeth. “But I’m worried…something’s not right…”

“It’ll be alright, Diana,” he told her, capturing her hand in his and hanging onto her for dear life. “I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you and our baby are safe.”

Diana collapsed back into the bed as the contraction finally passed, her eyes falling closed. “I…I’m scared, Bruce,” she softly admitted. “I don’t want…to lose our baby.”

Bruce squeezed her hand reassuringly as he began wiping her sweaty brow for her. “I know…I’m afraid too,” he confessed. “But I’m here now and I refuse to lose you, Diana…or this baby.”

Diana nodded her head, a tear suddenly breaking free to slowly creep down her cheek. He leaned in, erasing the salty drop with his lips, his eyes falling closed as he rested his head against hers. He placed his large hand on her belly, stunned by how hard it actually was; the muscles coiled tight and ready to deliver their baby to the world. 

This was truly happening now whether it was time or not and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it. The woman he loved and the baby she carried was in danger and it was all beyond his control.

“I’m going to contact J’onn…see if there’s anything he can do for you until Dr. Leslie can get here,” he whispered, his heart in his throat.

Diana slowly nodded her head in response, her eyes falling closed again. “I’m just going to rest a moment,” she replied as Shayera returned.

“Dr. Leslie is still tied up I’m afraid,” Shayera informed them. “It could be a little while yet until she arrives.”

“Can you stay with her with for a few minutes?” Bruce asked, quickly straightening up and pulling away from Diana.

“Of course,” she quickly nodded. “Whatever you need me to do.”

“I’ll be right back,” he told Diana, forcing a small smile that never reached his piercing blue eyes. “I’m going to change my clothes and contact J’onn. Don’t want to greet our baby in the Bat suit.”

Diana smiled weakly, another contraction beginning to come on again. “Hurry…” she breathed, clenching her teeth again as she lurched forward, grabbing the handrails of the medical bed.

Bruce squeezed Diana’s hand one more time before leaving; doing his best to keep a tight rein on the panic that threatened to grip him. He ran his fingers through his short black hair as he made his way through the manor, pausing when he noticed a visitor in the kitchen talking to Alfred.

“What are you doing here?” he bluntly questioned him.

Clark ignored his gruffness, taking it in stride, knowing he was just worried about Diana. “Shayera alerted us that Diana was in labor,” Clark replied. “How is she?”

“She’s alright for now,” Bruce tightly admitted. “I’m contacting J’onn to see if he can come help her until Dr. Leslie can get here.”

“He’s already on his way,” Clark reassured him. “He wanted to be here in case Dr. Leslie needed any help.”

“I’m going to change my clothes and get back to Diana,” he said as he turned to leave. “Alfred, send J’onn in to see Diana as soon as he gets here.”

“Yes, Master Bruce,” Alfred nodded as he began to set up an array of refreshments. He had a bad feeling it was going to be a very long night with many more guests dropping by.

XXX

Bruce watched impatiently as J’onn checked on Diana who was hooked up to every kind of monitor known to man, his worry nearly suffocating him as he waited for some sort of answer as to what could be going on. J’onn finally straightened up, his eyes opening to look at them.

“What is it, J’onn?” Bruce demanded to know. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m afraid that the umbilical cord is wrapped around the fetus’s neck,” he stoically informed his friends. “If you gives birth now, Diana, the baby will surely die.”

“No,” Diana gasped, tears beginning to break free. “Bruce…our baby...”

“J’onn…please…can’t you do something?” Bruce asked, his voice almost pleading…broken.

“Yes, my friend,” he nodded his head. “I can phase inside her womb and unwrap the cord from your son’s neck.”

“Son?” Bruce looked up sharply from Diana to the Martian Manhunter’s face, his heart leaping with the words. They were going to have a son.

Diana smiled through her tears to know that they were about to have a little boy. She didn’t have the first clue how to raise a boy, but she knew she could do it with Bruce’s help…and Alfred’s of course.

“Yes, it’s a boy,” J’onn nodded his head. “But I need to move swiftly. Time is of the essence. Are you ready, Diana?”

“Don’t worry about me,” she told him. “Just do whatever you have to for my baby.”

J’onn nodded his head as his hand phased through her abdomen, Diana tensing at the intrusion. She held her breath as he worked, the moments ticking by like hours as they waited for him to save their baby.

Bruce watched with bated breath, his heart in his throat as they waited. He was having a son, a little boy who would hopefully look like Diana, possess her spirit and compassion, her smile as well as her bright blue eyes.

Diana winced as another contraction began to build, her body wanting to curl forward again, but she fought against the overwhelming urge, afraid to move with J’onn’s hand inside her womb. She tightened her hold on Bruce’s hand, doing her best not to smash it.

Her breathing grew ragged, her heart racing as sweat formed on her brow. She bit her bottom lip to hold in the cry that stuck in her throat. Seeing her pain, Bruce leaned in close to whisper into her ear.

“Hold on, Princess,” he murmured. “You’re doing great. Just a few more minutes.”

“There,” J’onn suddenly said as he removed his hand. “Your son is free from the cord. Everything should be fine now.”

“Am I late for the party?” Dr. Leslie asked as she suddenly swept into the room.

“Dr. Leslie,” Bruce released a sigh of relief. “You’re just in time.”

“There’s quite a gathering going on upstairs,” Dr. Leslie smiled as she began to wash her hands in preparation for delivery.

“What?” Diana shook her head in confusion.

“You have a living room full of very nervous gentlemen all pacing as if one of them was the father,” she smiled.

Bruce groaned at the thought of the Justice League all conglomerated in Bruce Wayne’s living room. That would not look good to anyone who might decide to drop by unexpected. Of course, who would be stopping by at this hour of the night?

“I am the father, right?” Bruce looked at Diana with a frown, his tone serious despite the sudden mischief in his eyes.

Diana growled through clenched teeth as another contraction raked through her body, Greek curses on her tongue. “This is solely your fault, Bruce Wayne, and you know it!” she finally spat out with a sneer. 

Bruce bit back a smirk at his feisty Amazon’s response. “Just making certain,” he teased.

“I think I will wait upstairs with the others,” J’onn announced before taking leave. “Let me know if I can be of any more assistance.”

“Thank you, J’onn…for everything,” Bruce said.

“Now, let’s have a baby,” Dr. Leslie smiled.

“Gladly,” Diana scowled. “I want this baby out…now!”

“Are you sure it’s alright?” Bruce asked. “It’s two weeks early.”

“This baby is coming…whether you like it or not…Bruce…” Diana gasped as she gripped her knees, lunging forward in pain.

“I just want to make sure you and the baby are alright, Princess,” Bruce reassured her.

Diana’s head fell back as a cry escaped her lips, sweat trickling down her neck. “Do…I look…alright to you?” she spat out. “Now I know…why Amazons…hate men so much! You are all evil!”

Bruce bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at her. “You’re doing great, Princess,” he encouraged her, stroking her hair.

“Stop…calling me…Princess…” she growled, suddenly grabbing hold of his shirt in a fierce grip that pulled him down to her face. “You…are having…the next baby…”

“I would if I could, Diana,” he told her, kissing her softly.

“You are a highly…intelligent man…Bruce…” she panted and gasped. “I’m sure…you can figure…something out…”

“Ok, push, Diana,” Dr. Leslie said. 

Bruce wrapped his arm around Diana’s shoulders, helping support her as she began to push. She released her hold on his hand, fearful she would end up crushing it by accident. She gripped the titanium handrails of the bed instead as she began to push, gritting her teeth.

“Come on, Diana,” Bruce murmured in her ear. “You can do this. You’re the strongest person I know.”

“I’d rather…be fighting Cheetah…right now…” Diana growled. “It’d hurt a lot less.”

“Just a couple more pushes, Diana, and you’ll have a beautiful baby to hold in your arms,” Dr. Leslie encouraged her.

Diana gritted her teeth again, a scream tearing from her throat as she pushed again. A baby’s cry suddenly filled the air, bringing great relief to both mother and father. Dr. Leslie quickly cleaned the baby before handing him to Diana.

“You have a son,” Dr. Leslie proudly announced.

Bruce looked down into his child’s face, finding himself unable to speak or think at that moment. He never thought it possible to love someone so instantaneously, so wholly in a moment like this, but he did, his heart expanding to encompass this little one in Diana’s arms.

“He’s beautiful, Bruce,” Diana murmured as tears blurred her vision, awed by the precious bundle in her arms. “He looks like you.”

“He’s got your nose,” Bruce replied with a smile.

“I’ll let the others upstairs know you’re both doing well,” Dr. Leslie informed them, allowing them a moment alone. “I’m sure Alfred will be wondering by now.”

“I can’t believe we have a son,” she shook her head in wonder. “I haven’t the first clue how to raise a little boy. You’re going to be the one to tell my mother she has a grandson.”

“No way, Princess,” he winced at the thought. “She’s your mother.”

Diana handed their baby to Bruce, allowing him a chance to hold his son. “Meet your son…Nicholas Alfred Wayne,” Diana introduced him. “I think Alfred will be thrilled with the name we finally chose.”

“I hope he can understand why I didn’t want to use my father’s name,” Bruce softly said as held his son, completely mesmerized by what he and Diana had created together. “I love my parents, but they’re a part of my past. My son is a part of my future and that’s what I focus on now…with you.”

Diana leaned her head against his shoulder, her focus on the baby in his arms. “I’m sure he’ll understand. He loves you as if you were his own.”

Just then, Dr. Leslie entered with the butler in tow. “I thought Alfred would like to meet the newest addition to the Wayne family.”

Bruce carried his son around the bed to meet his surrogate father as Dr. Leslie finished tending to Diana. Alfred smiled as he took the baby into his arms, pride permeating his eyes as memories of Bruce as a baby flooded his mind.

“Meet Nicholas Alfred Wayne,” Bruce introduced. 

Stunned, Alfred looked up into Bruce’s face, tears filling his eyes. “I…I’m truly honored, Master Bruce,” he softly said, finding it difficult to speak.

“If you two wouldn’t mind, I’d like to take care of the mother now,” Dr. Leslie announced, interrupting the moment.

Bruce returned to Diana’s bed, kissing her deeply. “Rest,” he told her, stroking her hair. “I’ll be back to check on you soon.”

“I love you, Bruce,” she softly murmured, caressing his cheek as she gazed into his eyes.

“I love you too, Princess,” he replied, kissing her again before leaving.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana has some news that she’s not so sure Bruce is going to like to hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for joining me on this adventure. It's been the most fun I've ever had writing a fic!! Will likely come back in the future to do a sequel so we can see Nicholas grow up a little, but I'm anxious to get started on the sequel to Mended Hearts. :)

Chapter 16

Diana sleepily opened her eyes, her body stiff and sore, but it had been worth every moment of it. Rolling onto her side, she smiled at the dozen red roses sitting on the bedside table, a note leaning against the crystal vase.

Taking the note, she opened it to find Bruce’s neat print.

Diana,  
I find myself loving you more every day, Princess. Because of you, I have another son to love along with my beautiful wife.  
Love always,  
Bruce

Diana felt tears well up in her eyes with his heartfelt words. He had difficulty expressing his emotions at times, but when he did, he always managed to get it perfectly right. Sitting up, she felt an overwhelming urge to see him, to hold her son.

Moving to sit on the edge of the bed, she looked around to find some clothes laying on a chair waiting for her. She began to wonder where everyone was, who had her son at that moment. She felt a pang of loneliness creep up over her as she thought about the two men in her life now.

“And what exactly do you think you’re doing?”

Diana looked back over her shoulder to find Bruce standing in the doorway, a concerned expression on his face and their son in his arms. It was a sight that she’d never get tired of seeing for as long as she lived.

“Looking for you,” she replied.

Bruce made his way to her, sitting on the edge of the bed with their son in his arms. “I’m right here,” he softly told her. “And you should be resting.”

“I don’t want to rest anymore,” she murmured as she leaned against him and inhaled deeply. She loved his masculine scent. “I want to be with my new family.”

“I had a hell of a time prying him away from Alfred,” Bruce chuckled softly. “I’m afraid he’s quite taken with our son. Tim and Dick have been trying to wrestle him out of Alfred’s arms for the last hour and a half.”

Diana grinned in response, taking her son from her husband’s arms. “Do we still have a living room full of superheroes?”

Bruce groaned at the reminder. “Afraid so,” he groused, settling back against the pillows with his arm wrapped securely around his wife. “They all took turns holding our son before Alfred decided to keep him. Now, it’s just turned into a party. I think they’ve moved in to stay.”

Diana could just imagine how small her son must have looked in the powerful arms of the Man of Steel or the militaristic stance of the Green Lantern. “Is that why you came here to see me?” she asked. “To avoid having to socialize with our friends?” 

“Not the only reason,” he thoughtfully said, gazing down into his son’s sleeping face. “I mostly just wanted to see you.”

Diana turned and kissed him sweetly. “Thank you for the roses.

“Thank you for my son,” he told her, brushing his nose against hers.

“We did it, Bruce,” she sighed. “We survived bringing our first child into the world.”

“Not before nearly giving me a heart attack,” he shook his head. “Why didn’t you tell me you were having contractions the last couple of days?”

“I knew you’d worry,” she muttered, her finger lightly tracing the gentle curve of her baby’s cheek. He looked so much like Bruce in every way. It made her heart melt. “Besides, Dr. Leslie told me they were just part of being pregnant. Did she find any complications because Nicholas was born two weeks early?”

“No, Nicholas is just fine,” he reassured her. “Leslie and J’onn believe it has something to do with your Amazonian physiology. It was just time for the baby to come.”

Diana leaned even more against Bruce’s muscular body. “I’m just so relieved that J’onn was here to save Nicholas.”

Bruce felt her shudder in his arms, knew the fear that had gripped her in that moment because it’d had a death grip on him too. “I know,” he agreed as he tightened his hold on her. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared.”

“Not you?” she grinned. “You’re the formidable Dark Knight. I didn’t think anything scared you.”

“Diana, when it comes to you or my family, it’s a completely different story.”

“Well, everything is alright now,” she reassured him, lightly running her fingers through the dark tuft of hair on top of his head as a smile formed on her lips. “He looks just like you.”

“Poor kid,” he frowned.

“No, I think he’s absolutely perfect,” she murmured as tears pooled in her eyes before slipping down her cheeks. 

Noticing the tears, Bruce grew concerned. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know the first thing about being mother let alone raising a little boy,” she admitted.

“Well, I don’t know anything about babies either so I guess we’ll just have to learn together, but I do know that little boys aren’t that much different than grown men,” he teased her. “I’m afraid it’s just going to be trial and error.”

“Oh Hera, help us,” she sighed heavily. “Poor Nicholas. He has superheroes for parents, but they don’t know the first thing about how to raise him.”

Bruce chuckled softly before leaning in and kissing her temple. “If we can handle Luthor and Darkseide, I think we can handle a baby.”

“I certainly hope so,” she smiled with his words as she leaned in to kiss her son’s forehead.

XXX

“Bruce!” she cried. “Bruce! Help me!”

Bruce instantly leapt from his desk in his office at the manor to race up the steps as fast as he could, fear striking deep in his heart with the sound of Diana’s scream. He couldn’t begin to imagine what could be wrong. The baby was only two days old. Everything had been perfect since she had given birth.

“Diana!” Bruce yelled as he ran for the nursery, Tim following hot on his heels.

“What’s going on?” Dick yelled from the foyer downstairs.

“I don’t know,” Tim shook his head, leaning over the banister to reply. “I just heard Diana screaming.”

Bruce raced into the nursery to find Diana standing before the changing table dripping wet, a naked Nicholas looking innocently up at her. Water dripped from her forehead and down her stunned face, her hands held up protectively as if to defend herself against the baby, but it was pointless. She was completely drenched.

“What happened?” Bruce asked.

“He…he just…all over me…” she sputtered. “I was just changing his diaper and he sprayed me!”

Dick and Tim entered at that moment, immediately bursting into fits of laughter at the sight of Diana dripping wet, realizing exactly what had happened to her. Bruce turned and glared hotly at his two sons, attempting to silence them with a single disapproving glower.

“At least Nicholas has good aim,” Tim managed to say between choking fits of laughter.

“Keep it up and all three of you will be on diaper duty for the next six months,” Diana snapped, looking down at her wet clothes.

Both Dick and Tim fled the nursery in a hurry, unable to hold in their amusement with the situation. Bruce swiftly shut the door behind them, helping to somewhat drown out the sounds of their laughter. He made his way to her, doing his best to hold in his own amusement, but it was damn near impossible.

Diana looked positively adorable standing there soaked to the skin, completely taken aback by Nicholas’s surprise attack. He had forgotten to warn her that little boys had the dangerous potential to let loose especially when they weren’t protected by a diaper.

Bruce quickly grabbed a towel from the shelf before coming to stand beside her. “Here, let me help you,” he gently said.

“Why did he do that?” she demanded to know as she pulled wet strands of hair out of her face, feeling as though she had just completely failed in some unforeseen way.

“I’m afraid that’s what little boys do…especially baby boys,” he informed her as he began drying her off. “They can’t control it. That’s why you need to keep him covered until you’re ready to put a clean diaper on him.”

“Thanks for the warning,” she bit out, snatching the towel out of his hands. “A little too late, don’t you think?”

“I’m sorry, Princess,” he apologized. “I didn’t even think about warning you. I forgot you didn’t know that.”

“Is there anything else you think I might need to know about your son?” she asked, still irritated as she put extra emphasis on the word ‘your’.

“Not that I can think of,” he replied, deciding he better finish for her. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up and I’ll take care of Nicholas?”

“Are you going to breast feed him too?” she suddenly teased, her irritation lifting. “If so, I think I’d like to stay to watch.”

“No, I’ll leave that in your very capable…hands…” he momentarily paused to glance at her generous breasts full with milk for their baby, her wet shirt sticking to her bra in a very sexy way that did nothing to help temper the erotic thoughts beginning to storm through his mind.

Diana didn’t miss the heated lust that flashed through his blue eyes. “See something you like, Mr. Wayne?” she seductively purred, drawing closer to him.

Bruce’s voice suddenly grew husky, his intense stare falling to her lips. “Most definitely,” he murmured, his hungry gaze darkening. “But the smell is a little unattractive.”

Diana rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. “This coming from a man who chooses to spend the majority of his time in a dark dank cave filled with bats and the stench of guano.”

“Hey, that’s only in the back part of the cave,” he countered in mock indignation. “The part where I work is very clean.”

“Thanks to Alfred,” she reminded him. “Hera, I don’t think you pay that man nearly enough.”

Finishing diapering his son, Bruce lifted him up into his arms. “Got your mom good, didn’t you little guy?” he asked him. “I think you and I need to have a father-son talk about urinating on your mother.”

Diana giggled despite herself. “He’s all yours,” she told him. “I’m going to take a shower and change my clothes.

“Need any help with that?” he asked, his gaze still hungry.

“Give me one more day and I’ll be ready for any type of help you’d like to give,” she flirted with him.

Bruce’s jaw nearly dropped with her revelation. “Are you serious? Did Leslie clear you already?”

“It pays to have a Meta with super healing abilities for a wife,” she smirked before turning on her heel and leaving him standing there more than a little aroused now. She peeked her head back in as Bruce began to walk towards the rocking chair with Nicholas in his arms. “And to think, you were against giving me a chance in the beginning.”

Bruce looked up with her words in time to see a mischeivious little smile playing on her face as she finally left the nursery. He shook his head as he settled into the rocking chair, holding Nicholas in his arms. She was never going to let him live that down.

Looking into the little face staring up at him, Bruce was in awe for the hundredth time since his son’s miraculous birth at the little wonder he and Diana had made. “Nicholas,” he began. “Take it from your father. Don’t be foolish like I was when a beautiful, amazing woman like your mother comes into your life. Don’t fight it. Just grab onto her the moment you meet her and never let her go.”

Nicholas just looked up at his father, a yawn forming as if already bored with the conversation. Bruce could only smile at him, knowing he couldn’t understand a single thing he’d just told him, but it didn’t matter. They had a whole lifetime together to look forward to.

XXX

Diana awoke with a start, quickly sitting up in bed to find herself all alone. She glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Bruce had gone out on patrol last night for a few hours so no one would connect his absence with Diana giving birth. 

She frowned to herself with mounting worry. He should’ve been home a long time ago. She also realized that the baby hadn’t woken her for a few hours. Something was definitely wrong.

Concerned, she quickly got up, grabbing her silk robe and putting it on as she headed for the door. The house was unusually quiet for this time of night, the baby usually keeping her up at all hours.

Opening the door to the nursery, Diana’s heart nearly stopped at the site of the empty crib, the blanket Shayera had given Nicholas gone as well. She tried to tell herself to remain calm, that there had to be a logical explanation for all of this, but she couldn’t think of any at that moment.

Had she slept through her son’s cries? Had Alfred or one of the boys gotten him for her?

She felt immediate guilt for missing her son’s need for her, feeling as though she had suddenly failed him.

Stopping outside of Tim’s room, she heard his familiar staccato snore, telling her he didn’t have Nicholas and Dick’s usual mumbling in his sleep next door to him told her the same thing. If they were both back from patrol and sound asleep, then Bruce should be too.

Heading downstairs, Diana was disappointed to find the house just as quiet as it had been upstairs, the lights all off. She tried to fight her growing panic and anger as she searched for her son, knowing if Alfred had him he would’ve been in the library or the nursery. 

She finally decided to check the Batcave in a last ditch effort, hoping against hope that he was down there with Bruce. _Hera, help whoever has my son_ , she silently seethed, her hands clenched tightly into fists.

Descending the narrow steps that plunged her into eternal darkness, Diana began to fume even hotter as the soft glow of the computer monitors came into view. He was home and he probably had her baby too.

Hera help her if he was wearing his damn bat uniform in front of their baby. Diana abruptly stopped in her tracks at the site that greeted her, her anger swiftly melting completely away and being replaced with something sweeter.

Bruce sat his desk completely absorbed in his work, dressed in his black uniform pants and a gray t-shirt with Nicholas propped up against his shoulder sound asleep. Her son was wrapped up in his favorite blanket, a little black knit cap with a gray bat symbol on it that Tim had gotten for him covering his head to keep him warm. 

The site of Bruce’s big muscular frame protectively holding their baby was just about the sexiest thing that she had ever seen. He had set up a small basinet close beside his chair, an empty baby bottle sitting on the desk. 

She watched him for several long moments as he typed with one hand, his other occasionally patting his son’s back. She had never imagined that Bruce would react to fatherhood quite like this, taking such an active role in his life like he had. She felt a sudden sense of love for these two men flooding her and warming her clear to her toes.

She finally found the ability to make her feet work again as she made her way to them. “Is this ‘take your infant son to work’ night?” she lightly teased as she leaned against the edge of the desk so she could face him.

His lips twitched in amusement as he stared at her, his eyes drinking in the site of her beautiful form draped in a silk robe. Though securely tied around her waist, it did little to hide her perfect feminine curves or the generous swell of her breasts that enticed him.

“Don’t tell Dick or Tim,” he replied. “They might get jealous I don’t hold them like this after patrol.”

Diana couldn’t help but laugh with his response. “Your secret is safe with me, Dark Knight.”

“I wanted you to have a night off to actually sleep for a change,” he informed her. “You’ve been so tired lately being up with Nicholas every night.”

Diana quickly forgot all the reasons why she had been angry when she had first discovered Nicholas missing from the nursery, her husband’s thoughtfulness touching her heart. 

“That’s very sweet of you, Bruce,” she softly smiled, reaching out to caress her husband’s defined jaw with her fingertips. “I don’t mind, though. He’s worth every moment of lost sleep and so much more.”

“I have to agree with you there, but I might be a little biased,” he teased. “I am his father after all. I think he’s pretty remarkable.”

“Yes, he is,” she thoughtfully sighed, her hand coming to tenderly cup the back of her son’s head. “I still can’t believe that we made something so amazing.”

“Of course he’s amazing, Princess,” Bruce frowned in mock disbelief. “Look who his mother is.”

Diana smiled, her azure eyes practically sparkling with amusement. “But don’t forget his incredible father,” she reminded him. “He played a pretty major part in his existence as well.”

Bruce smirked. “Well, I don’t like to brag about my prowess or anything, but…” he left his voice trail off.

“Oh Hera,” she giggled with a shake of her head before turning to look at the computer screen. “What are you working on so late at night?”

“Just reviewing the information that J’onn sent me on Nicholas’s work up,” he informed her. 

Concern quickly replaced the amused expression that had just occupied her face. “What did you find out?” she asked, her voice tentative. “Does he have any of my Meta abilities?”

Bruce cast a glance at her, noticing the worry that permeated her blue eyes. He reached over, taking her hands in his. “He’s fine, Princess,” he reassured her. “J’onn has picked up on some acceleration in certain cells that would indicate he inherited your rapid healing ability, but it’s difficult to say since he’s only a couple of weeks old. He said the rest will likely show itself later as he grows more.”

Diana was silent for a long moment before finally turning away from the monitor to meet his gaze. “I…I’m sorry, Bruce,” she softly said. “I know you were worried that he would be blessed like me, would be a superhero like us, forced to carry on the burdensome mantle of upholding justice.”

Bruce squeezed her hand. She never ceased to amaze him with her love and concern for him. “Diana, it’s alright,” he told her. “I’m actually relieved that he has your powers. It means that he won’t get sick like other children, will be able to protect himself against our enemies if it’s ever discovered that we’re his parents.

“Besides, if we fight hard enough, hopefully there won’t be anything for Nicholas to fight against by the time he’s old enough.”

Diana leaned in, kissing him, his reassurance lifting her fears. Bruce readily returned her love, deepening the kiss and showing his hunger for more as his hand slipped up into her raven hair. She finally pulled back, her lips a tantalizing breath away from his.

“Is the Caped Crusader and his tiny sidekick ready to come to bed?” she seductively asked, slowly running the tip of her tongue along her lips. “It’s pretty lonely in that big bed all by myself.”

Bruce looked down at the infant asleep against his shoulder, a smirk breaking across his face. “I checked with my partner and he said most definitely,” he replied, standing to his feet. “He even said he’d give us a couple of hours of uninterrupted time alone together.”

“Hmmm….” she smiled coyly in response with an arched eyebrow. “Well, we’ll just have to take advantage of his generous offer, won’t we, Mr. Wayne?” 

Bruce’s breath caught in his throat as Diana slinked her way to the stairs, pausing to look back over her shoulder. “Coming?” she asked.

“Always,” he replied.

He let out a long ragged breath as he began to follow his wife, Nicholas securely in his arms. “You just might be getting another sibling sooner than later, little man,” he murmured to his son under his breath.

His heart suddenly leapt at the thought of having another baby with his beautiful wife. He couldn’t believe how amazing his life had become, his mind taking him back to that incredible moment so many months ago when Diana had told them they were having a baby.

He never would’ve guessed how his life was going to change so dramatically that night when the two of them had suddenly become three.

 

**THE END (?)**

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this idea hit me earlier today and I just had to get this out. Wrote this in like three hours so I haven’t really had time to consider any more than this idea, but it could be fun to continue this. Let me know what you think!


End file.
